Just in case you did not participate in the HYD Live Music write-in, please share some favorite live music experiences here.

Probably one of my favorites of all time was seeing Shelby Lynne at the Sons of Hermann Hall in Dallas. I was by myself, and the place is tiny. She was incredibly good. I'll never forget it.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

Answers

Al, I would've contributed, but I don't think I've been to five live shows, total. No, wait. I've seen Junior Brown twice. I think that's 60% of my live concert experience. Both times the opening act (Mandy Barnett and Paul Thorn) was great.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

Oh, so many great gigs....I couldn't possibly list all the wonderful ones. But the first gig I ever went to was pretty great. R.E.M., R.D.S. Simmonscourt Pavilion, Dublin in 1989. I was 13. I had never experienced the like.

The first time I saw P.J. Harvey live was pretty amazing. It was in a cool Victorian theatre in London, and I was in the second row. I think I nearly started crying. She was fucking brilliant. Oh yeah, and the first time I saw Kristin Hersh live was awe-inspring as well. I was 18, and it was the first time she'd ever played in Ireland. I'd been a huge Throwing Muses fan since I was about 13, and it was like listening to the soundtrack to my teenagerhood.

I'm sure I'll think of more later.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

here is my problem:
Instead of going to see new bands and cool road shows, I see the same few Texas bands over and over and over. That's not very cool. Those don't make for very good stories.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

My favorite was Ani DiFranco earlier this year in State College. I've never been so moved that I cried at a performance, but when Ani did "Everest", I had tears a'streaming. Before that show, it was Page/Plant in Kansas City 1998. I'll never miss another Page/Plant show if it's within a few states of me.

I saw the Indigo Girls in a little club in Germany in 1993 or 1994, which was incredible. And last October we saw Rusted Root in Lancaster, and they were perfect. I danced much longer and harder than I thought I could.

I know there are plenty of Texans around here, and I was at the REM/Robyn Hitchcock show in Houston in (I think) 1988, and the Cure's Kiss Me tour in (I think) 1999 - Shellyann Orphan opened for the Cure and took my breath away. And I saw about a bazillion shows at the Axiom.

I've seen some dogs, too, though. Morrissey in Atlanta in 1991 was just not good. And although Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals were incredible this year in Philly, I couldn't see anything because the venue ate ass.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

I see the same few Texas bands over and over and over. That's not very cool.

No, no. That's very cool.

Get thee to a Slobberbone show, ASAP

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

Seen 'em! They opened for Reckless Kelly once, for whom I am a crazy whorish groupie. Sadly, I don't remember too much about them, but am vowing to check them out next time I see them in town, based upon the strong HYD endorsement.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

I saw the Magnetic Fields shortly after the release of 69 Love Songs two Novembers ago. That was a really great show -- it was in a small auditorium at Penn's museum of Archaeology, and so the whole evening had this slightly academic, velvet upholstered seats feeling to it that went well with the songs, which are all sort of goofily cerebral when they're not flat-out horny. One of the few shows where I've both laughed (during "Yeah! Oh, Yeah!") and cried (during "Papa Was A Rodeo" and "All My Little Words").

My friend Aimee and I scored 7th row Center tix for Sinead O'Connor at the Tower Theatre in 1990. Amazingly powerful, and fun. She sang her little pain-rage-and-love-filled heart out, and we were nearly doused w/her sweat from her excellent dancing during "I Am Stretched On Your Grave."

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

I would've said that the Radiohead show last Saturday at Bull Run Park was my best live music experience, but we were drowned out by the monster rain storm that descended on the area. Sniff.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

I just got offered a Radiohead ticket tonight. I'm not sure I really want to go, but feel it's bad to turn down a free ticket.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

Hey, a couple of friends of mine were there too ... y'all were waiting there for something like six hours, right?

I told them it was their divine retribution for not getting me a ticket.

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

Just to let y'all know, Wilco has just announced tour dates. Mostly Texas on east and up North.

You know I'm going!

http://www.wilcoweb.com

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

I think y'all should see Ben Folds in your hometown.

And y'all should be jealous of Mike, since he can go listen to good music any night at the 9:30 Club, just a few blocks from the Ford Theatre!

-- Anonymous, August 14, 2001

Oh God, Chris, Vince Chao just fell in love with you. Tea Room! Sept. 21!

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Here's the plan, AB. Y'all go see Wilco in Dallas. You work your way over to Jeff Tweedy (I know you can do it!), and tell him that when he gets to Atlanta, he has to say "hey" to the MOC from stage at the Roxy, where we will be seeing them as well.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Hannah, did you see Radiohead last night?

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Uh, no. I decided to stay home, pack, and watch the Real World instead.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Hannah, I would like to commend you on that choice. The Real World was delectable last night.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

How stupid is Lori? "If this audition doesn't go well, my music career is over"?????

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Radiohead were phenomenal. Better than I'd even hoped. Plus, anything in Boston is good.

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Why the hell did those guys hire a brunette-too-old-britney-wannabe to front their band? Does she really think it's because of her talent?

-- Anonymous, August 15, 2001

Lord, lord. We saw Willie Nelson last night. Best thing that ever happened to me. The man is a genius. I laughed, I cried. He played non-stop for nearly 3 hours.

It was one of the only concerts I've ever attended where I felt compelled to make a set list. He did a whole 30 minutes of Hank Sr. songs. People were dying.

Willie is very nearly the best musician I've ever had the pleasure to witness in person, and I include on that list many world-class classical artists.

I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. We had been missing Texas lately, and when the huge Texas flag unfurled behind him on stage during Whiskey River (part 1), we nearly had a moment of redneck patriotism.

People, we danced to The Rainbow Connection. I'd like to say it was because of the beer, but it w

-- Anonymous, August 20, 2001

I would just like to state my insane jealousy of the Al/Willie fabulousness, and that I blame Hardlucy for my missing him when he was here in August. Damn the electric fence! Damn it to hell!

-- Anonymous, August 20, 2001

And y'all should be jealous of Mike, since he can go listen to good music any night at the 9:30 Club, just a few blocks from the Ford Theatre!

You should indeed be jealous, because as everyone's favorite perpetual blonde points out, you can see excellent live music here pretty much seven days a week.

Sticking with the theme, I won tickets from WHFS to see The Mighty Mighty Bosstones at the aforementioned 9:30 Club last year ... only it was a show exclusively for contest winners, and because of an internet glitch nobody knew they had won until the morning of the concert. Ergo, the club, small as it is normally, was pretty empty, so they played for less than 100 people. It rocked, even if I'm usually not much of a ska guy.

-- Anonymous, August 20, 2001

DAMMIT!!!

We went to see Etta James tonight here in Atlanta and she was sick and didn't do the show.

Pfffft. So upset. They're going to try to reschedule.

Ever happen to you? Did you ever get psyched up and then disappointed?

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Got tickets to Emmie Lou Harris at the Alabama Theatre! Not cheap. This is her home town, ya'll and the musically impoverished here in the "'Ham didn't even care enough to buy out one show! She cancelled - don't blame her but I was upset not to get to see and hear her because I think she's one of the best. I defy ANYONE not to cry on Boulder to Birmingham! Oh, well. Another thing - it took 6 months yea, 6 to get Ticketmaster to refund! Haaaaaate that! Yes I do.

ROLLLLLLLLL TIDE! (If you can)

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001

Y'all, I just broke my boyfriend's heart.

I bought tickets six weeks ago to fly back to Atlanta the evening of the 28th.

Which is the same evening that Old 97s and Slobberbone play in Dallas.

There's an Old 97s cover band playing at Sons of Hermann Hall on the 27th, but I know it just won't be the same.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

Which is the same evening that Old 97s and Slobberbone play in Dallas

Sob! In the words of Jeff Tweedy, WG is trying to break my heart.

AB, if you don't go to that show, I be very ashame.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

Already taken care of, baby.

I bring honor to Number One Fan Allison.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

First I miss T the last time I was down in Atlanta. Then I find out that Hannah is coming to Atlanta and I might miss her too. Now I learn I am not only missing Old 97s and Slobberbone but ALSO a chance to meet the sweet AB in person.

Excuse me -- I'm going to see if there's a sharp enough knife in the office kitchen for wrist-slitting.

-- Anonymous, December 18, 2001

I saw a strange concert a few weeks ago: Smash Mouth, Natalie Merchant, and Train down in Atlanta.

First of all: The MARTA stop for the Atlanta Civic Center? Nowhere fucking near the Civic Center. But you get a nice tour of the local soup kitchens.

Smash Mouth was begging people to get up and dance. It was very, very sad, but they had no energy and all their songs sound alike. Except when they did their own version of Runnin' With The Devil. Say it with me people: Smash Mouth and Van Halen do NOT mix.

Natalie Merchant was excellent, but she scared me with her yodelling during This House Is On Fire. I also love watching her get crazy with her dancing and grabbing the bottom of her skirt and twirling in circles to show everyone how pretty her skirt billows, and beating her pelvis and ovaries into oblivion with her self-smacking. She was a thrill to watch and hear.

Train? Amusing. The lead singer is TOTALLY in love with himself in a very David Cassidy way, and kept doing what I would call The Flamingo. He'd be in the middle of a song, do a ballerina twirl, and then stand only on his right leg while extending the left behind him and stretching his arms forward in a very Creed/Arms Wide Open kind of way. But they did a Led Zepplin cover that kicked ass.

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2001

Y'all. Last night. Ramblin' Jack Elliot, the Blind Boys of Alabama, and Merle frickin' Haggard.

Yes, you can kiss my feet.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Oh, not the Hag! Good for you, hannah. I wish I could have been there.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

I'll bet listening to Live at Folsom Prison for the first time over the weekend doesn't count.

Oh, well.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Ramblin' Jack Elliot sang Folsom Prison Blues, WG, so it almost counts, no?

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002