Regret
Each time I work a weekend, I amuse myself with countless pointless tasks to kill time. This weekend, I attempted to make a list of every (music) show I've been to. I didn't get very far -- I can only remember around 60 shows with specific dates and venues. Rather makes me wish I'd started a list years ago or saved stubs or bills from the shows. I can remember this year and 2004 of course, but beyond that it gets hazy. I can only remember 13 shows from 2001 and 17 shows from 2000 -- both years when I was going to at least a couple of shows per week. From 1999 and earlier? I've only come up with 5. That can't be right.
As I was looking at show calendars for past months and years to jog my memory, I became a bit overwhelmed by all the great bands I did not see, but who played my city while I was surely doing nothing else that night... or to whose shows I bought tickets and then just didn't go. So many of these are long since disbanded. Maybe someone died, or they succombed to artistic differences and went their own ways.
So, in honor of regret, I give you five shows I wish I'd seen:
And yours?
As I was looking at show calendars for past months and years to jog my memory, I became a bit overwhelmed by all the great bands I did not see, but who played my city while I was surely doing nothing else that night... or to whose shows I bought tickets and then just didn't go. So many of these are long since disbanded. Maybe someone died, or they succombed to artistic differences and went their own ways.
So, in honor of regret, I give you five shows I wish I'd seen:
- Alice in Chains opening for Kiss in Detroit in June 1996. We gushed about it for weeks, then my arsehold boyfriend decided on the night of the show that "he didn't feel like going." It was four hours away and I had no car, so I didn't get to go. They only played three more shows before dropping out of the tour so Layne could check himself back into rehab. They never toured again.
- The Gits in Seattle in 1990 or 1991, with 7 Year Bitch as the opener. Before Stefanie overdosed and before Mia was murdered. (Obviously I would have had trouble getting to a show in Seattle when I was 13 or 14, but one can wish).
- Mark Eitzel in any number of San Francisco shows that I bought tickets to attend and then skipped.
- Lollapalooze '92 at Blossom (near Cleveland). I was 15, didn't have enough money for the ticket, and my parents wouldn't let me ride there with my friend who'd gotten her license the week before. Would have seen Pearl Jam, the Jesus and Mary Chain, Ministry, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lush. I never did see Lush...
- Slowdive and Ride in Cleveland in 1992. Too young to go get into the venue, and again, parents just didn't understand.
And yours?