81336069

I was a drum tech for Grant Hart at a Husker Du show in Eugene, Oregon, on the Zen Arcade tour. 1985?1980 was my first rock concert and makeout date: Cheap Trick at the Medford Armory; and we got our KISS records out. That same year my brother sent me Zep II and I switched from trombone to bass.Halloween 1986? HellCows at the WOW Hall, Eugene. My life was never so complete afterwards except maybe at certain No Means No or Steel Pole Bath Tub shows. The chaos haunts me still, and I crave it in a way.Here's an incomplete list of bands I've seen:50+ bands I remember seeing 1st big show Cheap Trick at the Medford Armory, 1980 2nd big show Count Basie and orchestra, at Britt Festival, Ashland, 1981: gorgeous place to see anyone, and this was some stellar playing, at a time when I played sax and trombone. I went with Fred Murschall, my alter ego. Anyone seen him since? 3rd Cars w/ Wang Chung at Memorial Coliseum, Portland, 1981. I’m admitting that I thought Wang Chung really had it over a tired sounding Cars. 4th Voyager w/ the Rubs, Medford, Oregon- my first sound guy/roadie trip out of Wolf Creek, running sound for Voyager, who played spandex metal. For me, the show was all about the Rubs; a new wave punk band, with Clash covers and fun originals we all pogoed to. Pogo!in Eugene: 1. The Clash in Mac Court. Somehow lost my girlfriend that night. Speed vs Weed 2. REM, the Dad’s Ballroom: we all went. 3. Pretenders - Hult Center, bad coke date night... for a lot of people. 4.Talking Heads - Hult Center, Sp ea kin gint Ong ues tour. Better than the movie, but the movie get’s it just right. That house was rockin! Ken Anderson, Dave Brand, Kurt Lando, and I dancing up in the balcony. 5. Rawhead Rex - often in clubs. Matts supra active bass changed my approach. 6. Hell Cows - Halloween 1986? WOW Hall - Was it the water? Lifechanging jazz noise shit. Who knew chaos was so comforting? 7. Laurie Anderson - Hult Center. Brilliant! 8. Flaming Lips - Basement of the WOW Hall. 2nd Loudest show ever. [see Jesus Lizard at La Luna, 1995...dates elude me] 9. No Means No - like, every time possible {more than 10} between 1990 and 2007. Only bled once. @ Kennel Club. I didn’t know why, but I noticed the guitarist ? look at me kind of horrified, as I swirled by in the pit. When I took a break, the path to the bathroom just seemed to clear for me, people just got out of my way. As I looked in the mirror, I realized that I had a bloody nose and been smearing blood and sweat all over my face and hair and arms and shirt. Eww The kids at Gilman Street were cooler. 10. Cherry Poppin Daddies -around Eugene. Super fun live. 11. The Surf Trio - Classic sounding mix of surf, sonics, and ramones. One of our [Ethnocentrics? Schwa?] opening slots with them was at the very last house party in the Animal House... the real one, from the movie. There was much rockin, some mayhem, a little damage from the sledgehammer, [OK, a lot] and one stolen mic. The site is now a Women’s center. I see Jeff “Punk Rock” Martin on occasion, and he is still doing shows with the Romanes, Ptowns bestest Ramones tribute. 12. Red Hot Chili Peppers - 1X @Uof O beergarden... what do you mean it costs a dollar? I don’t care that they are from LA. I need that money for... Oh My God! Lifechanging; spent most of the show with my head against Flea’s 15”cone. A new direction in bass playing for me. 13. the Replacements - the first time, I won tickets on the radio because I really liked the song “On The Bus”, and I took Jim Burnett as my date. Was very surprised that they were not as poppy as the radio hit. I think “Black Diamond” clinched it for us. 14. Violent Femmes - EMU ballroom...3 songs and the pit went out of control. There was blood, Gano stopped the show. I knew moshing would never be the same... losers were trying to hurt, not just join themselves to chaos. Steel toes from then on 15. Eurythmics - Hult Center; Annie Lennox; greatest vocal performance I have ever seen. 16. Love Tractor - summer beergarden; 6 people there. A shame. We danced in the sun. 17. the Jackals - i don’t know how many times or places I’ve seen Louis Sambora and this crew, but they always kicked ass no matter where it was. I’d drive 100 miles to see Cosmonov play bass. 18. the Detonators - Punk rock that never failed, Max’s 19. the Falling Spikes - House band Max’s, taught me about garage rock. 20. Blubinos - Debbie’s bass was so perfect behind Monte; @Taylor’s, when it was cool. 21. Terry Robb - He doesn’t rock like this anymore. Maturity sucks. @ Taylor’s weekly 22. Fetchin Bones - Punk world beat for drunk hippies. Taylor’s 23. The Wild Seeds/ Rhythym Pigs - This chick was was amazing live. 24. Husker Du **** - 2nd show. drove to Portland after playing beer garden with Schwa. Paul says it was the Bel Airs. Whatever. Wharehouse tour. I felt really bad about spilling two 32oz beers on those girls, worse the 2nd time. 25. Janes Addiction - Starry Night, first album, my girlfriend was dealing x; we had a crew of 20, the first time I saw stage dives from the balcony and multiple crowd surfing 26. Dire Straights - Keller Auditorium. Rich bought my ticket to this ultimate guitar wank. I learned that sometimes, the bass has to play really boring shit, for the wankfest to work. 27. Meat Puppets - And sometimes not. 6 or 7 times all told. 1984, Condon Hall was when they played the album Huevos in like 15 minutes. 28. Greatful Dead - and sometimes, not for me. 6 shows, never bought a ticket. 29. Bob Dylan - so much better than the Dead. I’ve been a fan since; could have something to do with the vodka filled watermelon. Autzen Stadium 30. Jimmy Cliff - Autzen [w the Dead] - beatiful voice soaring over a sundrenched crowd of counter culture pleasure seekers. A dark voice spoke in my head, “This peace and love would not exist without corporate dollars.” I was out of the stadium as Jimmy finished. That was one start point in my disdain for hippies. 31. Ray Charles - Hult Center. Amazing. Only Ray Greycloud joined me. 32 Buzzcocks - Metzler is their manager now, but at the time, he managed the Cultural center, and would get his friends in. And the Buzzcocks, definitely cultural. No, wait, this show was in San Francisco.Seattle33. Butthole Surfers - 1988, Paramount, who needs drugs when you’ve got this. 34. Soundgarden - Paramount. stunning live show. Chris Cornell just ripped his shirt right off and looked just like the record. And sang like it too. 35. Bumbershoot 2005 - Iggy Pop, Mudhoney - massive, earlier that day, Brazilian Girls, Los Amigos Invisibles; Latin pop in the hot sun, drenched in sweat and great feelings, all was great in the world. 36.Bumbershoot 2003 - David Byrne - as usual, something visual to take home in your head. This time was the slow version of “Psycho Killer” as he crawled onstage in a lycra suit painted with only the muscles showing, as if he’d been skinned alive. Very creepy. Then a costume change to a big big suit!In Bay Area37. Pixies - 4X boring to watch, so close your eyes and feel it pull you into the pit. 38. Primus (weekly at the I-Beam $3 shows) - album, “Suck On This!” 39. 40. Fugazi (3x in two days) Sproul Plaza UC Berkeley, at noon in the sun! Late back to work that day, for sure. 41. Rush - 3 times. I highly recommend it, if only to see Red Barchetta and YYZ. 42. Neil Young - whenever I can 43. Sonic Youth - many places, Cow Palace my favourite. Booed off the stage at Neil Young’s Bridge benefit.... stupid fucking hippies. 44. Victims Family - over and over, houseparties and clubs... shredding. 45. Pavement - they let bass players do that? They outshined sonic youth that night at I Beam or Slim’s in 1992.. 46. the Feelies - Slims. Hardest working rhythym section ever. 47. Steel Pole Bathtub opening for NoMeansNo - Kennel Club. It wasn’t until I saw STB again that I realized they meant to do that shit. Their reunion show last year was a reminder of how important what they did was. 48. Poi Dog Pondering - Slims, La Luna, and most recently Doug Fir. 49. the Sundays - Slim’s 1987, she sang sweetly, I was there for Yo La Tengo. 50. New Order/Echo and the Bunnymen - Greek Theater, Fantastic, Great show. After, I realized I like club shows more. like... 51. Scruffy the Cat - Kennel Club [Paul?] Another great band that we never heard from again. with Alex Chilton - smarmy fuck. Haven’t liked anything from him since. 52. Yo La Tengo - manytimes, manywheres. The shows are never the same. i heart Georgia. 53. Agent Orange - same week that I won tix to something like 25 bands in one week. This is the show I remember. Kickass garage surf punks played by old guys. Relevatory. 54. Camper van Beethoveen/Monks of Doom/Cracker - a lot; the Warfield was the finest. Right before the breakup in 1991. Godlike. 55. Shonen Knife, with the Dickies - The I-Beam. Super funtime grrl rock after a blistering snarkfest from the Dickies. 56. 247-Spys - I think I won tix. They were really fun reggae metal, but noone was there. 57. Dinosaur Jr. - I’d seen em at WOW Hall, I’d seen em at Slim’s, but this Warfield 1991 show pulled out all stops. And then they broke up for a long time. 58. Robyn Hitchcock - 6-8X. 2nd Street, Minneapolis best. I was there with the Pickle Family Circus, and we [crew] were in the hotel bar, having a drink after a show. Robyn H walked in and came over to our table, and asked which band we were with. When he found out we were circus folk, he became very interested, and, long and short of it, I got tix to the show that night. Thanks Mr Hitchcock. 59. The Ramones/ Social Distortion - Greek Theater 1992. All the hits and more. Miguel Ongpin was my date, and he didn’t mosh, so I headed out. way fun. 60. Jonathan Richman - A dozen times, maybe more. He is the one and only lonely bit of sunshine that is Jonathan. Kennel Club with the drummer was a good show, but the last time at Dante’s, Portland, he seemed really happy. s’good. 61. Nirvana - Cow Palace, a couple of benefit shows with L7. Yes, they ruled.in Portland:62. Aisler Set - So much better than the White Stripes, who played later that night. 63. 30.06 - Outside In benefit, June 1993, 13th ave, SW Portland , Hazel and Heatmiser the same day..... my intro to the Portland scene. A big punky emo love fest, With Guitars! 64. Shellac - Berbati’s. 2008. Blistering. Joe Mello was there too. 65. Lollapalooza in 1993 - Was there for Fishbone, and three days on the river with Beck and Paul. I think I still have sand in my shoes. 66. The Thermals - Government Camp 2004,was best - small shows really are better. Go see this band. 67. Gern Blanston - Satyricon, 1993-4, maybe 6 shows - fucking icepick in the forehead every time. Way too aggressive for most people, nice kids though. Where are they now? 68. Tarkio - NXNW, 1996? Liked them way better than his new band. 69. Yo La Tengo, opening for Everclear - La Luna. After the show, Ira said “It felt like Hendrix opening for the Monkees....” I still heart Georgia. 70. Willie Nelson - Portland Rose Garden. Awesome show with Mt Hood in the background. Whiskey River took my mind. 71. M83 - free after 11:30 at Berbati’s Pan. We had just seen Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at Dante’s and decided to skip out on The National... they seemed very serious about their craft. M83 just kicked out some Joy until about closing. Inspiring. 72.The Sugarcubes - Pine Street Theater/ La luna, 1993, Bjork kicked ass live. So much larger than life, and she’s tiny. Voice so huge, she had to leave the band. 73. Gwar - La Luna, 1997. it’s just gotta be done 74. Jesus Lizard - La Luna, 1994; Shiloh worked security and tells a tale of woe: While helping David Yow back onstage from crowd surfing, his hand slid up Yow’s thigh and under his shorts, discovering that the vocalist was going commando. “Nothing is more disgusting than holding David Yow’s sweaty wang.” I’ll take his word on that. 75. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - La luna, competent. Albums are better. 76. Shadowy Men on A Shadowy Planet - @ Satyricon, 1996. Top 5 shows for sure 77. Quasi - Crystal Ballroom, 1996, I still like Donner Party better. 78. Gang of Four - Crystal Ballroom, 2005; Dave Allen’s kids were there. It was great to see an age range of 12 - 60 for such a powerful set. Totally draining. Absolutely invigorating. I have photographic proof. We made it into the newspaper. 79. Wire - 2006, Crystal Ballroom; old guys shredding beyond belief. 80. Dinosaur Jr - 4X Best with the original lineup. Jay has some sort of ‘icepick’ that pins my head to the back wall, lobotomizes. Clears my sinuses too. 81. Tom Cory and the Ex - I’m glad someone goes here. The second show I realized that they were doing this on purpose. Amazing wall of ..... 82. The Cows - simply fucked up shit from some simply fucked up people. Great show 83. Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Roseland. 2003? Some guy gave Joe crap for ‘selling out’ because he got a tour bus. Joe: “Thirty years on the road and I don’t deserve a *** tour bus? You, in the cowboy hat...you’re gonna be trouble. I’m keeping my eye on you. In fact, get on up here, and stand right here where I can.” And the crowd made the guy get on stage, and he was there for the rest of the show. Probably keeps his mouth shut now. And the show was amazing, truly. Redemption Song. 84. Toots and the Maytalls - Roseland 2000. Kim Montagne turned to me and asked “What is this ‘Irie’?” Toots pretty much laid it out for us. Rockin reggae from a vibrant, magnetic Jamaican man. At 60+ years old, amazing. The James Brown of Rock Steady. 85. Fernando - Laurelthurst Thursday afternoons, weekly, free for a while, now, wherever I can see him... murder ballads and passion, everytime. 86. The Residents - La Luna 87. Sebadoh - La Luna 88. Sleater Kinney - Crystal Ballroom,2000 ; when I learned to love Carrie and Janet. 89. Soft Boys - Pine Street Theater 90. Violent Femmes - Fillmore. I was backstage, in the opener [True West]. Unforgettable. Met the band and everything. Pinched myself a couple of times. 91. The Shins - Crystal Ballroom, 2004. I didn’t like them until this show. 92. Wilco - A couple of times. I love the bass player. I hope they stay clean. 93. Fear - a reunion show at Dante’s, 2003. Lee Ving’s alright, If you like saxaphones 94. Acid Mothers Temple - Dante’s, 2008 endless tension release and explosive sonics 95. Sunn O))) - Hawthorne Theater, 2008 physically refreshing, sonic drone. 96. Red Fang w/ Lions, & the Axe - $4 show @ East End, August 14, 2009. Massive.TOP 5 Shows - in no order. Primus/Pixies/Janes Addiction - San Jose Auditorium, 1990 Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet - Satyricon, 1996 - feelgood show of the century. Gang of Four - Crystal Ballroom, 2005 Butthole Surfers - Paramount, 1988 NoMeansNo/Steel Pole Bathtub - Kennel Club, April 23, 1990.and the list keeps going and doesn’t begin to include other bands I’ve played with or smaller acts that I’m not remembering. It also doesn’t include the musicals I’ve seen, the best of which was the original Broadway cast of “Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” featuring George Hearn and Angela Lansbury, at the Geary in SF, 1980.There is one band that I wish I could remember their name, because they provided the greatest heckle of all time; It was Garage Band night at The Purple Onion, SFCA. After playing a couple of songs really amatuerishly, the opening band’s singer/guitarist asked the audience “How’s the Mix out there?” The dead silence held for a three count, then someone shouted “Turn down The Suck!” I don’t think any of the bands listed here sucked. Most don’t, or they wouldn’t get up and put their egos on the line. Enjoy live music as often as you can.