Ten Best Live Shows I've Seen
I was supposed to do this yesterday but the internetz woudn't let me.
1. James Taylor
I miss Poplar Creek. Sitting on the lawn on a beautiful summer night is the perfect way to see James Taylor. His band and his back-up singers have been with him for decades, some of them, and the show is smooth and relaxed and perfect. For awhile there I was going every time he came to town but it's been about twelve years since I saw him last. Time to get back into that habit.
2. Todd Rundgren
I trailed along behind my older siblings for this one because what did I know from Utopia? Fantastic show. We were up in the balcony and marymary, sitting right behind me, would lay violent hands upon me when she thought I was not moving enough from the music. I am convinced that I had bruises on my shoulders after "Love in Action." Tons of fun.
3. Les Miserables
For my 23rd birthday I told my parents that I wanted the whole family to go see Les Miz and they made it happen. I still get chills sometimes when I hear that soundtrack and I've been waiting ever since for a revival to come back to Chicago.
4. Buddy Guy
I went with misreall and mistereal for this one. Seeing a living, breathing blues legend onstage from twenty feet away is surreal enough. But when the legend steps off the stage and whales away at his guitar right in front of you? WOW.
5. BR-549
They are a whirling tornado of rockabilly. Plus they're hilarious. Plus their lead singer is cute as hell.
6. The Red Elvises
THEY ARE YOUR FAVORITE BAND. I have been to so, so many shows, all with misreall. Enough so that the boys hug us on sight now. The longest distance we traveled was probably the best show. Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA. And the fact that Igor stripped down to his boxers was only part of it. It was INSANE.
7. Adam Lambert - Glam Nation
SEE ICON. Adam was dreaming his whole life of having the freedom, the budget, and the fanbase to put on his own tour just the way he wanted. Glam Nation is it. During the summer of 2010, marymary and I went to a whole string of shows and it was a fucking experience, let me tell you. It's not just that Adam has a crazyphenomenal voice. He owns the damn stage and you can't take your eyes off him. Not sure why you'd want to, anyway.
8. Kris Allen
Since they were the last two standing in the eighth season of American Idol, people always want to compare Kris & Adam. And you just can't. One of the best reviews I ever read of their shared Idol concert said, "Adam takes the place apart and then Kris puts it back together." A Kris Allen show is just FUN. He's all bouncy and goofy onstage, and he's obviously having the time of his life. I've seen him a bunch of times wiht pepp_r_mint and if I had to pick the best show it would probably be Milwaukee, where he came down into the crowd during his encore and the surge of fangirls actually knocked him right into my arms. Dude is short but those are some nice shoulders, let me tell you.
9. The Glee Concert
I know, right? This was a last-minute thing with marymary and was SO much fun. Even though the video skits were cheesy, even though the Warblers were mostly lip-syncing, I was jumping up and down and cheering at the end in a shower of confetti. And Mark Salling threw his fake slushee right on me, which made me feel all special.
10. NKOTBSB
SQUEE! So I admit, marymary and I are late to the boyband craze. We were paying attention to other things in the 80s and 90s when New Kids and Backstreet Boys were making all the girls swoon. But then Band of Brothers happened and Carwood Lipton was played by Donnie Wahlberg. And we followed Donnie into the New Kids reunion where he introduced his to his adorable friends and into their megaboyband tour with Backstreet Boys and I have new respect for the discerning tastes of adolescent girls, let me tell you, because they knew this shit years ago and I am just now jumping on board.
1. James Taylor
I miss Poplar Creek. Sitting on the lawn on a beautiful summer night is the perfect way to see James Taylor. His band and his back-up singers have been with him for decades, some of them, and the show is smooth and relaxed and perfect. For awhile there I was going every time he came to town but it's been about twelve years since I saw him last. Time to get back into that habit.
2. Todd Rundgren
I trailed along behind my older siblings for this one because what did I know from Utopia? Fantastic show. We were up in the balcony and marymary, sitting right behind me, would lay violent hands upon me when she thought I was not moving enough from the music. I am convinced that I had bruises on my shoulders after "Love in Action." Tons of fun.
3. Les Miserables
For my 23rd birthday I told my parents that I wanted the whole family to go see Les Miz and they made it happen. I still get chills sometimes when I hear that soundtrack and I've been waiting ever since for a revival to come back to Chicago.
4. Buddy Guy
I went with misreall and mistereal for this one. Seeing a living, breathing blues legend onstage from twenty feet away is surreal enough. But when the legend steps off the stage and whales away at his guitar right in front of you? WOW.
5. BR-549
They are a whirling tornado of rockabilly. Plus they're hilarious. Plus their lead singer is cute as hell.
6. The Red Elvises
THEY ARE YOUR FAVORITE BAND. I have been to so, so many shows, all with misreall. Enough so that the boys hug us on sight now. The longest distance we traveled was probably the best show. Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA. And the fact that Igor stripped down to his boxers was only part of it. It was INSANE.
7. Adam Lambert - Glam Nation
SEE ICON. Adam was dreaming his whole life of having the freedom, the budget, and the fanbase to put on his own tour just the way he wanted. Glam Nation is it. During the summer of 2010, marymary and I went to a whole string of shows and it was a fucking experience, let me tell you. It's not just that Adam has a crazyphenomenal voice. He owns the damn stage and you can't take your eyes off him. Not sure why you'd want to, anyway.
8. Kris Allen
Since they were the last two standing in the eighth season of American Idol, people always want to compare Kris & Adam. And you just can't. One of the best reviews I ever read of their shared Idol concert said, "Adam takes the place apart and then Kris puts it back together." A Kris Allen show is just FUN. He's all bouncy and goofy onstage, and he's obviously having the time of his life. I've seen him a bunch of times wiht pepp_r_mint and if I had to pick the best show it would probably be Milwaukee, where he came down into the crowd during his encore and the surge of fangirls actually knocked him right into my arms. Dude is short but those are some nice shoulders, let me tell you.
9. The Glee Concert
I know, right? This was a last-minute thing with marymary and was SO much fun. Even though the video skits were cheesy, even though the Warblers were mostly lip-syncing, I was jumping up and down and cheering at the end in a shower of confetti. And Mark Salling threw his fake slushee right on me, which made me feel all special.
10. NKOTBSB
SQUEE! So I admit, marymary and I are late to the boyband craze. We were paying attention to other things in the 80s and 90s when New Kids and Backstreet Boys were making all the girls swoon. But then Band of Brothers happened and Carwood Lipton was played by Donnie Wahlberg. And we followed Donnie into the New Kids reunion where he introduced his to his adorable friends and into their megaboyband tour with Backstreet Boys and I have new respect for the discerning tastes of adolescent girls, let me tell you, because they knew this shit years ago and I am just now jumping on board.