The Concert Thread

[Madrigal]

I don't usually go to concerts unless it's some kind of solidarity thing, but now that I actually started having normal friends who go to normal events, it looks like I'm starting to go to concerts. I went to a Manu Chao one recently and we bought seats for it instead of being in the field, and the whole time we were there, I kept thinking I wished I was in the field. In fact, for moments, I almost fell asleep. It was just so fucking far away from all of the energy, even though Manu Chao is one of my favorite bands. I already turned down concert suggestions, and now the next concert is Bad Religion, but I'm not really sure I want to be taken to this one either. Am I gonna get stabbed? Is a fight gonna break out? Am I gonna be trampled on? Are nazis gonna crash the party, in or outside the stadium? I'm too old to do dumb shit anymore.

This is a thread for concert experiences.

[Hephaestus]

You know you're in Argentina when "Will nazis crash the party?" is a legitimate concern.

[Madrigal]

You know you're in Argentina when "Will nazis crash the party?" is a legitimate concern.

Well there have been instances. I know a guy they call "El Muerto" because, well, he was supposedly a punk involved in one of these concert episodes, which ended in, uh. Bad news for the nazis. Some of the punk movement calls him a lying poseur though (haters?).

[Roger Mexico]

You know you're in Argentina when "Will nazis crash the party?" is a legitimate concern.

At a Bad Religion show, yeah. LOL. In the States those would have to be the Nazis who were forced to sit at the nerds' table during lunch at Nazi school. They'd be trying to stab you with mechanical pencils and slide rules.


Go see Bad Religion, Madrigal. They're fucking awesome, and like ten times better live. I've seen them, uh... [counting] 4 times and it's great. Even the songs that come off as wonky, self-indulgent, and silly on the records turn into moving experiences in a concert setting.

I remember this one in particular, for some reason. At a show in Portland. Still gives me goosebumps.




And yeah, get your ass in the fucking pit. I get to thinking I'm too old for it, then find myself at shows (when I can, which is very occasional) going "holy shit, I'm 30 now, look at these kids--they don't even know what alienation means yet, somebody better go show them how this is done."

[kari]

Last gig? Hmm. I saw Bomb the Music Industry! at a punk venue here that recently closed down. I didn't know who they were. A couple months later I discovered them fully and wow wow wowowowowowowow

would like to see Bo Burnham again

[giegs]

Bad Religion? Just a bunch of college educated folks with angst or whatever.

The first show I ever went to was the second to last Grateful Dead concert before Jerry died. My family was on the way back from a family thing in Vermont and I had asked if we could go to the show as my birthday present. My family is mostly reformed hippies so I grew up listening to the music and really enjoyed it, still do. An uncle was doing the lights and could get us backstage passes, awesome! I was 9. My sister was 11. As we were walking through general admission some hippies pointed at my sister and I saying "whoaaaaaaaaaaaaa rugrats". This remains a very full sensory memory, though much of the experience is only vaguely recalled. Later I asked my father if the fat man singing was Moses. This is probably the first time I ever got high.

[Makers!*]

I last saw this gal, incidentally, as I originally went for the headline act, Blitzen Trapper. But she was way cooler. I ended up buying her and her bands drinks. She gave me a big hug. I fell in love and continue to stalk her too this day. (not really).



Also this guy. We get good Folk acts in this part. Unfortuntely, the crowd wanted to talk over his set and I had to leave before I started punching faces. It was an embarrassing experience to be apart of. Something I'm still bitter about.

[Roger Mexico]

Dammit so this guy on my Facebook list from a time we worked a stagehand gig together in Portland is apparently on the road as a stagehand for the Bad Religion South America tour. He just posted photos of the stage set-up operation in Sao Paolo.

Motherfuck. Jealousy.


EDIT:

One time when I was working my parks job in California I was driving a company pickup around ferrying people between multiple job sites all day, and listening to a Grateful Dead tape that my huge Deadhead boss left in the stereo.

I picked one guy up who got in and said "Are you guys filming a porno in here or something?"

Laughed my ass off.

[Roger Mexico]

Did you go? Jesus Christ, this looks awesome. I wish I was there.

[Madrigal]

No, sorry. I lost my glasses on a drunk night out and had to buy new ones urgently. No $$$ for Bad Religion, though I guess I could have gone to the concert blind. I was thinking of maybe Joan Baez next month though. Lol.

The song they're singing is a paraphrased football song: "Ole ole ola, cada dia te quiero mas / Bad Religion es un sentimiento / no puedo parar" (the name of the band is normally a football club's name). Feeler culture.