time on my hands and music on my mind

I have some time to spare, so here is something I think about a lot, which has absolutely nothing to do with Peace Corps or Fiji:

Most disappointing live show: The Pixies, Marcus Amphitheater, 2005 (Okay, seriously, what are the Pixies doing opening for Weezer in an amphitheater?!?!? Not cool.)

Show I purposefully walked out on: Weezer, Marcus Amphitheater, 2005

Band I saw that is now kind of famous: Art Brut, Rome, 2006

Openers I liked better than headliners: Pixies (for Weezer, 2005), Glass Candy (Vampire Weekend (?), 2008), Saul Williams (Mars Volta, 2003), Ben Harper (String Cheese Incident, 2002), Tegan and Sara (Ryan Adams, 2002)

Shows I forget I saw: The Sea and Cake, High Noon Saloon, 2007; Yo La Tengo, Barrymore Theater, 2002; Gillian Welch, Barrymore Theater, 2003 or 2004; Black Keys, High Noon Saloon, 2007?; Pearl Jam, Alpine Valley, 2003; Architecture in Helsinki, High Noon, 2007?; Ryan Adams, Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis, 2002

Most Underrated/ Biggest Surprise: Black Keys; The New Pornographers, Orpheum Theater Madison, 2008; Kings of Leon, The Rave, 2007; Bright Eyes, Minneapolis, 2003

Should've Stayed Home and Listened to CD and Saved $25: Neko Case, Barrymore Theater, 2007

Worst Sound: Pixies, Modest Mouse (Eagles Ballroom)

Most Energetic: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Bradley Center, 2002

Would Love to Relive only Because of its Awesomeness: Ani DiFranco, Eagles Ballroom, 1999

Glad-I-Didn't-Spend-$$-On: Jack Johnson- Do I really need to spend $30 to hear a song with my name in it about a prostitute?

BandIendeduplovingafterseeingliveforthefirsttime: Bright Eyes (Thanks, Alicia!)

Best Encore: Neil Young, Greendale Tour, Marcus Amphitheater, 2003

Should've Not Been Sober For: String Cheese Incident, Alpine Valley. Maybe add in Phish?

Best all 3 Performers On One Stage: Tie... Ani DiFranco/Greg Brown/ Gillian Welch (Civic Center, Madison, 2000) and Mars Volta/ Queens of the Stone Age/ Red Hot Chili Peppers (Dane County Coliseum, 2002)

Wish I had known better first: Deerhoof

Best Dancing: Violent Femmes, Memorial Union Terrace, 2005 (Close second: Big Wu and G Love, Apple Valley, 2002. So much mud!) (Very very close next up: New Pornos)

I Wasn't Bored But Everyone Else Was: The Shins, The Rave, 2005

Wished I Could've Danced More: Cake, Orpheum, 2005

Shortest Show: Sparklehorse, High Noon, 2007

Longest: Phish, Alpine Valley, 2004 (Bruce is probably very close...)

Artist I've Seen the Most: Ani DiFranco (1999 Eagles Ballroom, 2000 Civic Center, 2000 or 2001 Eagles Ballroom, 2001 Orpheum, 2004 Orpheum, 2006 Bonnaroo, 2007 Pabst Theater)

Should've Gone To: Andrew Bird, MUT, 2007 or Feist, Orpheum, 2007

Shows that made me feel old: Wilco, Overture Center, 2007 (Should not be a sitting show!!!) and Ani DiFranco, 2007 (We're all old now!)

Was too young to get: U2, Popmart Tour, Camp Randall, 1997

Most Funny But Serious Band: Skid Row, Summerfest, 2005 **tie** Dogstar, Summerfest, 2001 or 2 (Also wins category for Best Rockstar/Musician Concert. I love you Keanu/ Neo!)

Shittiest Seats That Ruined Experience: Bjork, Chicago Theater, 2007

Coolest Show for Free: Flaming Lips, Willow Lake, 2007

Best Festival Line-Up: Bonnaroo, 2006: Beck! Radiohead! CHYSY! Tom Petty! Andrew Bird! Cat Power! So much more!

Worst to skip at aforementioned concert: all of My Morning Jacket

Best Festival Line-up that Never Happened that I had Tickets For: Field Day Festival

Missed Opportunity: Low, Minneapolis Record Store, 2002. Alicia went. I think I went to Borders or something.

Best "local" band show: Houses in Motion, Majestic Theater, 2008: Happy Birthday Me!; Masoko, Rome, 2006; That brass band whose name I can't remember but I'm pretty sure it's not Mama Digdown's... they did a show at the High Noon... Zeke's friend's band... then they left to go on tour... awesome show, 2006 or 7

Most Bizarre: Glass Candy

If I Could See Anyone Live: Smashing Pumpkins, ca 1996ish; R.E.M, ca 1988-1994ish; Janis; Violent Femmes/ Pixies, ca 1984-1990; Prince, 1990's; Madonna, 1992; Lilith Fair; David Bowie, 1978; Bon Jovi, ca 1989; Blind Melon w/ Shannon Hoon

My best year for live music: **tie** 2003 and 2007 (2003: RHCP, Bright Eyes, Neil Young, 2 Mars Volta shows, Yo La Tengo, a zillion other shows at the Barrymore)


I miss live shows. The person I've probably been to the most shows with is definitely Josie. Close second is Katy. And Pat. We made a nice trio of groupies for awhile. And Chris. Wow Chris and I have seen a lot of shows, too. And Beth. Beth was almost always at all those High Noon shows, too.

That's all. Now I have to go.