Okay, middle of the week, time for a new question for everyone!
Out of all the possible answers you might have, what was the one show you knew was happening, that you knew you could go to, but that you didn’t and have been kicking yourself about ever since? To be clear, shows that you didn’t know were happening don’t count. There will ALWAYS be examples in retrospect for people to go ‘if ONLY I had known!’ about.
For me I think it would have been the Pet Shop Boys’ first full tour of America for Behaviour — their tour date in LA was right during spring break, which when I usually went home to chill for a bit. I could have easily made it a shorter break home but for whatever reason I did not do so. Sure, the tour’s on DVD and all now, but Jesus H., what was I thinking? (And to this day I still haven’t seen them…)
February 10, 2010 at 9:31 am
Stereolab/Unrest/The Verlaines all playing together in Portland. At the time I lived two and a half hours away but would frequently make the trek in for concerts. For some ungodly reason, I decided to stay home for this one, something – especially considering my devotion to all three groups – that I might never forgive myself for. Mostly it’s for missing The Verlaines. I have seen Stereolab a number of times since and flew out to DC for the Teenbeat 20th Anniversary show that Unrest played, but don’t think I will get the chance to see Mr. Downes and co. Stateside again.
February 10, 2010 at 11:24 am
I’ve seen all three separately so I do count myself lucky there (the Verlaines for Ready to Fly). Still, two and a half hours each way would be a stretch for most people!
February 10, 2010 at 9:57 am
Who: Kraftwerk, Carling Academy, Glasgow.
When: March 16, 2004.
Why I didn’t go: I HAVE NO IDEA. I’ve loved Kraftwerk since I was five or six years old in 1981. I even had the offer of a free ticket. So the only answer I can think of is: because I’m a total, total tool.
Actually, no: there’s also the fact that it was a Tuesday, it seems, which means I’d have been working till who-knows-when to get the magazine I worked on then to the printers on Wednesday morning.
Still. I could have gone and come back, couldn’t I? And I vividly remember being in a taxi, heading home, passing the Academy and thinking: HOLD ON. WHAT AM I DOING DRIVING PAST?
Never quite got over that one. As you can probably tell.
February 10, 2010 at 11:24 am
I missed the Sisters of Mercy in 1991 because of a GRE exam the following day so I fully understand that feeling. But I did eventually see them…seven years later. Argh.
February 10, 2010 at 11:06 am
How many? Dozens…
Portishead at Wolverhampton in 1997, Faith No More Wolverhampton 1997, Depeche Mode Birmingham 1993, PiL 1992, Jane’s Addiction 1991, Metallica in 1996, New Order in 1989, and er, um, the Suede show with Orchestra in 2002 : all largely because of cash, to be honest. I’ve made it a policy not to miss a tour if I could help it since then.
That said, I haven’t missed Oasis at all : I jumped off in 2000 from seeing them live, and thus, missed what appears to be a slow, sad decline live.
The one show I missed the most – because it never happened – was Bowie in Kinross 2004. He’s not played a full live show since that summer and probably never will.
February 10, 2010 at 11:25 am
Yeah, Oasis 2000 was the second (and last) time I saw ‘em and by all accounts that was a wise decision.
February 10, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Bragging rights: I got lucky in catching a 1994 Oasis show in Portland at a 95% empty venue. And in the midst of the show, just as they were kicking into “Cigarettes & Alcohol”, Liam slammed the mic to the ground and stormed off stage. Noel took over lead vocals, waited for the song to end and then said, “I guess that’s it then.” Show over in 35 minutes.
February 10, 2010 at 11:43 am
Throbbing Gristle, Los Angeles, 5/22/81
Why I didn’t go:
1. All of my friends HATED them, so I would’ve had to go alone.
2. I didn’t have a drivers’ license, and the venue was some weird auditorium in Culver City that I don’t think was ever used for a gig again.
3. I didn’t look “punk” (which was extremely hazardous to your health at certain gigs in LA in those days).
4. I liked TG, but they also scared the crap out of me, and I was terrified of what might occur at the show. What if it was so loud that my eardrums burst? What if some crazy mass-murderer dude–I assumed that crazy mass-murderer dudes would make up a substantial portion of the audience–decided to kill me?
5. A bunch of friends wanted to come over to my house and play Risk, which is what I ended up doing.
February 10, 2010 at 11:47 am
Hahah oh man, that final reason is the most poignant. (Then again maybe it was the best Risk game of ALL TIME….actually I could see a Risk game being combined with a TG show, the more I think about it.)
February 10, 2010 at 2:40 pm
It was around June of 1992, I think, and My Bloody Valentine was playing in Chicago. I cannot recall who was opening for them but it was someone I had interest in at that time. The details are blurry but I remember it was a Thursday night show and I had recently been in a car accident and had bruised ribs so bailed out on the show.
February 10, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Of all the bands that I could think of that could cause something already broken to hurt worse, MBV would be up there, so I think you did the right thing.
February 11, 2010 at 6:39 am
Upon further reflection, I’d also like to submit the Prince tour where he announced it was the last tour he was doing all the older songs. He was really getting into his religion and felt those “dirty” songs didn’t represent his views and values anymore.
Having always loved him but oddly, never seen him live….I really should have gone to the last hurrah.
February 11, 2010 at 7:50 am
Probably Fugazi on the Red Medicine tour at a dive bar downtown. This was a place that never did all ages shows, so it was a real rarity all around.
I was much more into hip hop at the time and I was only 15 anyway, so there you have my excuses.
A couple years back when Morrissey played two nights at the celebrity showroom at the Nugget over in Sparks, I didn’t go because tickets were too expensive.
Though I *did* consider trying to sneak in to that one.
~Austin