One for the Record Books
I have been to a LOT of concerts in my lifetime... Between having a next door neighbor who was the head of the box level at the Cap Center as a kid, and dating the guy who ran sound for every outdoor venue (not to mention a few clubs) in Colorado for several years, I've seen a lot of shows. But at the same time, I have laid down some serious cash on concerts as well. Live music...there's just no substitute.
I've witnessed some total crap performances, but I've also experienced a fair share of magic as well. And my catalog of shows runs the full gamut; The Jacksons, Supertramp, Loretta Lynn, Night Ranger, The Nylons, Heart, Kathy Mattea, Jimmy Buffet, Marillion, The Chieftans, Leftover Salmon, The Cowboy Junkies, Hot Rize, Tanya Tucker, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Harry Connick Jr, The Neville Brothers, The Judds, Christine Lavin, George Strait, and I could go on and on and on, and still only scratch the surface.
Tonight, I saw a band I have seen before. I saw them the first time when they were opening for another big name act, and I wasn't expecting much, because I had never heard of them before... I was wrong. I had a fantastic time, thought their material was great, and went looking for the album the next day. When I was visiting a friend in Louisiana later on, he took me to a club where the same band was playing, and we had an amazing time. I've intermittenly followed them since, because I was impressed by a group of hard working musicians who seemed content with being a working band and loving what they did, instead trying to fit into a cookie cutter to get ahead. If I was impressed before, I am stone cold dedicated and loyal to them now. Easily, this has made it into the Top 5 Live Perfomances in my life.
In no particular order... Here they are:
Melissa Etheridge: Brave & Crazy Tour, Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Lyle Lovett: Step Inside This House - A Night Celebrating the Texas Songwriter (special guest - Alison Krauss), Buell Theatre
Barenaked Ladies: Stunt Tour, Pepsi Center
Wynonna Judd: World Youth Day Celebration, Denver Civic Center Park
Cowboy Mouth: December 21, 2007, Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO
I will have you know that the performance they knocked out of the Top 5... The Osmond Family, Featuring Donny Osmond, 1978, Capitol Center, Laurel, MD. And for a woman who continued to buy purple socks until she was nearly 30...that is HUGE!