Sunday, September 1, 2024

Concert: Kathleen Edwards

Katie has been a fan of Kathleen Edwards for many years however has never been to one of her concerts.  I became a fan of her music because of Kate.  By her own admission Kathleen quit music for a long time opening a coffee shop in hometown of Ottawa, Ontario.  When she did perform it was typically in Canada, and I monitored her shows to see if we could make it happen.

Earlier this year she announced a tour with a stop at the Waldo Theatre in Waldoboro, Maine.  I had never heard of the venue before, but I quickly messaged them and they set aside two front row tickets for us.  A few people we spoke to before and after the show had never heard of the venue before either.  The original date of the show was June 23, 2024 but a delay in paperwork with customs lead to tour being postponed and the show finally happened on July 26th.


It actually worked out well because Limitless has scheduled a show on June 23rd that I didn't have to miss now, and we just got back from a week in Ocean City on June 22nd. 

We stopped at Moody's diner before the show for dinner and some treats to go.  We parked on the street just up from the venue, I'm pretty sure it was sold out.  The Waldo Theatre opened in 1936 as a movie theatre and they even still have their original 35mm projectors they used until it stopped being a movie theatre in 1957.
  

With a capacity near 400 they still screen movies, live theater, live music and other stage performances.  Our front row seats were fun because to expand the front row they add old comfy chairs instead of the standard theater seating.

I wore my Tom Petty 40th Anniversary Tour shirt, it generated many compliments and no less that a half dozen staff members told me about the Tom Petty cover band that was booked for the venue. 
 

The opening act was Matt Sucich who performed solo with his guitar.  He played a 30 minute set that was decent. I'm not familiar with his music, but we enjoyed it.  He performed with Kathleen and her band as well so he had a long night.
 

Kathleen has an amazing voice, plan and simple, just a wonderful singer /songwriter.  She played a few songs in a row before talking to the audience a bit.  She talked about stopping music for a while, opening her coffee shop, and getting back into it feeling like she's starting over.  A couple times during the show she messed up her own song and started over, it was funny and she laughed it off.    

She talked about going to Nashville after this tour to record her new album and played a couple of her new songs that she intends to record for it.  I really love these going to these concerts in such intimate settings. Kate had tagged Kathleen on Instagram at the beginning of  the show stating she had waited 13 years for this, and Kathleen mentioned it at the end of then someone else in the audience had to steal her thunder yelling out they have been waiting 19 years.




After the show she did a meet and greet, it took her about 20 minutes to come out, however only a few people stuck around.  I bought Kate a t-shirt.  We got our pictures taken with her, Kate wanted to be alone so I didn't ruin it, a nice woman offered to take a photo of all us, but I told her what Kate said and we all had a good laugh which actually made their pictures come out better.  She mentioned she would be coming back to Maine in the Spring on her tour supporting her new album. 




Setlists

Kathleen Edwards

Asking For Flowers
One More Song the Radio Won't Like
Glenfern
Goodnight, California
Hockey Skates
Empty Threat
Change the Sheets
Algorithm
Flying the Coup (I think, not 100% on this on)
Who Rescued Who
Six O'Clock News
Hard on Everyone
Mercury
In State

Encore
Back To Me
Crawling Back to You - Tom Petty cover

I don't have Matt Sucich's


Until Next Time!

Concert: Foo Fighters

On July 21st, our busy 2024 concert tour rolled into Fenway Park for the Foo Fighters!  The best part is, I won these tickets.  Back in January I completed a listener survey for 98.9 WCLZ and was shocked on January 22, 2024 when I received an email that I had won a pair of tickets for this long sold out show!


Kate didn't care about going so I took Addison.  I chose Addison over Canaan because Canaan and I had the Hockey trip in March and we have two nights of Metallica coming up in August.  


Paul, Amanda, and Sammy also had tickets and rode down with us.  Traffic was wicked thick from Freeport south to Fenway and it took 4.5 hours to go the normal 2.5 hour trip.  We got to our parking spot when Amyl and the Sniffers were taking the stage and only caught the last two songs of their set.

The Hives were outstanding!  I knew more of their songs than I thought and they really knew how to put on a show and engage with the crowd. 



The Foo Fighters went on promptly at 730pm and put on a near 3 hours set!  I can't say I would make it a point to go to another Foo Fighters concert, I'm happy to have gone, but I don't NEED to go again. 




Set Lists

Foo Fighters - Everything or Nothing At All Tour
All My Life
No Son of Mine - with Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and Black Sabbath's "Paranoid" snippets
Rescued
The Pretender
Walk
Times Like These
Generator
La Dee Da
Breakout
Band Introductions with snippets: Eruption / Thunderstruck / Sabotage / Keyboard Solo / Blitzkrieg Bop / March of the Pigs
My Hero
The Sky Is a Neighborhood
Learn to Fly
Arlandria
These Days
Skin and Bones - acoustic; Dave on guitar; Rami on accordion
Under You
Nothing at All
Shame Shame
This Is a Call
Monkey Wrench
Aurora
Best of You

Encore:
The Teacher
Everlong

The Hives
Bogus Operandi
Main Offender
Rigor Mortis Radio
Walk Idiot Walk
Good Samaritan
Stick Up
Try It Again
Hate to Say I Told You So
Trapdoor Solution
Bigger Hole to Fill
Countdown to Shutdown
Come On!
Tick Tick Boom

Amyl and The Sniffers
Balaclava Lover Boogie
Guided by Angels
Security
U Should Not Be Doing That
Got You
Hertz
Some Mutts (Can't Be Muzzled)


Until Next Time!

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Concert: Boston Calling Festival, Day 3

 Kate and I went to the Boston Calling Music Festival on the Harvard Campus during Memorial Day Weekend.  We went on Sunday only and I bought tickets after it was announced that The Killers were the headliners on Sunday and that The Heavy Heavy were also performing on Sunday, two of our favorite bands!



I ended up getting us VIP tickets and it was well worth the cost.  VIP gave us access to exclusive viewing areas closer to the all of the stages, airconditioned bathrooms with running water, VIP bar area, and in the VIP free water and soft drinks.  The water was cans of liquid death, not what I expected but whatever it was free.  Talking to others Sunday was the most attended day, the GA section was packed, and we never would have gotten as close as we did nor would we have been able to move around the grounds like we wanted too.  

The set up has 4 stages, with Green being the primary followed by Red, Blue, and Orange.  Red and Green were next to each other and would not have bands playing at the same time, Orange was for locals and Blue was on the other side of the grounds and had bands performing at the same time as Red & Green so you had to choose.  The only band we wanted to see on the blue stage The Revivalists were moved to the Red stage, so we only watched acts on the Red and Green.  What was cool is from either the Green or Red Stage VIP you could see the other stage, and the music was coming out of the speakers in both areas so you could hear everything as well.  

We got parked and walked the half mile to the entrance, we got in the VIP entrance line about 1245, 15 minutes before doors opened.  We got in and checked the grounds and headed to the Green Stage VIP area in preparation for The Heavy Heavy.

Stefan Thev was the first act of the day at 1:40pm on the Red Stage, they were just ok.

The Heavy Heavy were on the Green State at 2:20pm and only had 35 minutes but there absolutely killed it playing songs we loved and we got a new song as well!  Their set was not long enough for me.


We headed to the food area next to get lunch and then to locate the VIP tent for our free beverages.  We ended up sitting on a hay bale in the shade for a while to cool down, it was wicked hot! 
 

We headed over to the Red stage VIP area to and caught the majority of Chappell Roan who was on the Green Stage from 4:05 - 5:05 she was fantastic which surprised Kate & I as we were not familiar.  The crowd loved her as well and were very into everything!  We did listen to a few of her songs the next day, and she is better live in our opinion.


Next we watched the majority of the Revivalists on the Red Stage who performed from 5:15 to 6:15.  We made our way back to the Green Stage VIP for the remainder of the event


Megan Thee Stallion was on the Green Stage from 6:25 to 7:25, she went a little over.  She is not my style of music but the audience LOVED her.  She has not band, she sang to a supporting track with back up dancers, twerked and slapped her ass a lot and cursed up a storm.  She put on a hell of a show and has amazing cardio.


Hozier was on the Red Stage from 7:35 to 9:05 and I'm glad I got see him live, but his stage show was kind of boring, and his 10 plus minute Ted Talk was unnecessary.  I wouldn't go see them again.


The headliners of the day and of the weekend were The Killers on the Green Stage, we were about 40 feet from the stage, had no one crammed around us and and had an amazing time.  Georgie from The Heavy Heavy was with a few members of The Revivalist just a few feet away from us enjoying The Killers as well.


The Killers hit the stage at 9:15 and finished up near 11pm.  They were awesome, they are tremendous live have so much energy and we have the best time at their shows.  This is our 4th time seeing the Killers.  Just a few feet away from use during the Killer's performance was Georgie from The Heavy Heavy and a couple members from the Revivalists. 

The walk out after the show was VERY rough on our feet and legs from standing all day.  The roadways were shut down so it looked like a protest march with everyone walking down the street to get to where they parked or the public transportation. 



We got to the van, I had prepaid for parking at a garage in February and paid $8, they were charging $35 that day, which is great for Boston.  We got home after 2am.  I would go back to Boston Calling again but only if the line up all day was amazing, and I would definitely get VIP again. 

Set Lists

The Killers
All These Things That I've Done
Spaceman
Jenny Was a Friend of Mine
Caution
Smile Like You Mean It
Shot at the Night
Run for Cover
Somebody Told Me
On Top
(Interrupted by Brandon due to someone in the audience needing assistance)
For Reasons Unknown
A Dustland Fairytale
(with "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" by Charles Hart cover outro)
Runaways
Read My Mind
Dying Breed
When You Were Young

Encore:
Human (Electro)
Mr. Brightside

Hozier - Unreal Unearth Tour
Eat Your Young
Jackie and Wilson
To Be Alone
Dinner & Diatribes
Francesca
Like Real People Do
From Eden
Cherry Wine
Work Song
De Selby (Part 2)
Would That I
Too Sweet
Nina Cried Power
(with Melissa McMillan) (LONG history lesson about revolution etc beforehand)
Almost (Sweet Music)
Movement
Take Me to Church

Megan Thee Stallion - Hot Girl Summer Tour
HISS
Ungrateful
Thot Shit
Freak Nasty
Megan’s Piano
Gift & a Curse
Say I Yi Yi
(Ying Yang Twins cover) (Ying Yang Twins song)
Hot Girl
Kitty Kat
Cobra
Plan B
Cognac Queen
Big Ole Freak
BOA
Sex Talk
What's New
NDA
Don't Stop
Body
Savage

The Revivalists
Good Old Days
Don't Look Back
Criminal
It Was a Sin
Down in the Dirt
All My Friends
How We Move
Keep Going
Time to Pretend - (MGMT cover)
Wish I Knew You
Kid

Chappell Roan - The Midwest Princess Tour
Femininomenon
Naked in Manhattan
Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl
Love Me Anyway
Picture You
HOT TO GO!
After Midnight
Casual
Red Wine Supernova
Good Luck, Babe!
My Kink Is Karma
Pink Pony Club

The Heavy Heavy
Jamming Intro
Man of the Hills
Go Down River
All My Dreams
Real Love Baby - (Father John Misty cover)
One of a Kind
Miles and Miles

Stefan Thev
I can't find a set list

Until Next Time!

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Concert: Mitski

For Addison's Christmas experience she asked to go to a play or a concert.  Then her favorite singer Mitski announced a tour and this was what she wanted to do.  Tickets went on sale in October Ticketmaster froze and crashed, they ended up adding 3 additional dates for 4 total shows at the venue.  I managed to get us tickets to the show on February 18th.


  Morning of the show I looked at available tickets and saw two in the front row center for quite cheap actually and after talking it over with Kate I bought then because Addison has been killing it in school and I would be pumped to sit front row for my favorite artist.  I didn't tell her though.

We headed out early to go to the IKEA because Addison wanted a bookcase to replace a broken one and a few other items.  They didn't have it on the display floor or where it was supposed to be in the warehouse section.  So I asked the guy at the service desk and he went out back and got it!  

We stopped at the mall on the way north to Boston and I got some cool Vans at the Vans store.  

We got parked and headed to the venue, it wasn't that cold but we didn't wait long outside before getting in.  The line to the merchandise table was huge, but it moved well enough.  Addison got a t-shirt and a tour poster.
  

Addison knew where the original seats were supposed to be, when we headed to our seats, I showed the usher our tickets and she said, "oh you've got some good ones" and then started walking us down to the front.  Addison says, "Are you going to the wrong place?"  She then pointed to our seats and Addison said, "Aren't we up there?" pointing to the first terrace.  She could not have been more excited when I told her about the upgrade I picked up that morning.


My only complaint is the stage is very high so in the front row you can't see all the members of the band on the stage.  We could see Mitski the whole time, she does performance dancing during the show while she is signing.
  

Addison loved it, she got emotional several time during the show and was just lost in the music and performance.  I feel so lucky to be there with her to have this experience.  

MGM Music Hall at Fenway Park
Sunday February 18, 2024
The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We Tour

Set List
Everyone
Buffalo Replaced
Working for the Knife
The Frost
The Deal
Valentine, Texas
I Bet on Losing Dogs
Thursday Girl
Geyser
I Love Me After You
First Love / Late Spring
Star
Heaven
I Don’t Like My Mind
Happy
My Love Mine All Mine
Last Words of a Shooting Star
Pink in the Night
I’m Your Man
I Don't Smoke
Bug Like an Angel
Love Me More
Fireworks

Encore:
Nobody
Washing Machine Heart

Tamino
The Longing
Indigo Night
Bedford
Babylon
My Dearest Friend and Enemy
Habibi

Until Next Time!

Friday, August 25, 2023

Concert: Guns N' Roses at Fenway Park 2023

 

August 21, 2023 Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

Once again Jason and I made the journey to home of the Red Sox to see my first favorite band!  We couldn't get into out pre-paid parking until 3:30 so we didn't leave until noon 30ish and didn't rush to get down.  We stopped at Jersey Mike's in Saugus on Route 1 for lunch, it always settles well for me, and it's delicious! 

We got to the lot just after 3:30 and got parked, I hate paying $55 for parking, but it's so hard to park around Fenway it's really the best option, or risk not being able to find a spot or parking a distance away.  I changed out of my vans and into my boots, they are better for walking and long term standing.  I'm sure glad I brought a change of footwear.  


We had a short walk to Fenway park from are parking lot.  I had decided I was not going to buy a shirt, I bought one two years ago, I have enough shirts I don't need anymore...I bought a shirt.  The two times I have been to Guns N' Roses were both at Fenway and they have multiple official souvenir booths outside and inside the park.  You don't even need to have a ticket to buy merchandise.  They had this awesome white shirt and I couldn't help myself.  Jason bought a green Boston Celtics themed shirt that was event and venue specific. We decided to bring them back to Vanatu and not carry them around, good choice.





Last time we sat on the side of the stage in the stands at Fenway, it was awesome, however this time we were on the turf facing the stage and it sounded so much better!  

Doors opened at 4pm and the Pretenders hit the stage at 530pm.  They were great, they played a bunch of songs that I knew and some that I didn't.  They finished up at 630pm.  I wouldn't purposely go see them again, unless my wife wanted to go or they were opening for another band I wanted to see.
 

I read online that Gn'R was going to hit the stage at 715pm, they came out at 742pm.  It was an awesome set, in total they played a 26 song set, close to 3 hours.  During Bad Obsession it started to rain, and they it really started coming down during Slither, but it was Welcome to the Jungle when the skies opened up!  


It was so surreal being on the turf at Fenway Park in the pouring rain with several thousand people all rocking out to Welcome to the Jungle!  I pretty sure they cranked up the volume for it too.  We got several songs this time that we didn't get at the last show.  We also got to hear their second live performance of their new song Perhaps.  Last time we got the debut of "Absurd" and we didn't think it was that great, however this time around it sounded awesome, the words are still ridiculous but the guitars were strong as hell.
  

I was shocked that they played "Reckless Life", it was released on G N' R Lies however it's a cover of a Hollywood Rose song. Hollywood Rose was Axl Rose's first band that also featured Slash and former Gn'R bandmates Izzy Stradlin & Steven Adler. 


After the show we headed out to the van, we both got soaked and I mean soaked from the rain.  I swapped out my footwear for dry socks and shoes and thankfully we had the new shirts to put on as well, sadly we had to ride home in wet shorts. 
 

We stopped at Sonic Drive -In in Peabody, Mass on the ride home, we don't have one in Maine.  The burgers were spot on and we got tots, so that is a winning combo.  Got back to my house a little after 2am, it was a long but worthwhile day!

Guns N' Roses

It's So Easy
Bad Obsession
Chinese Democracy
Slither
Welcome to the Jungle
Hard Skool
Reckless Life
Pretty Tied Up
Double Talkin' Jive
Perhaps
Absurd
Rocket Queen
You Could Be Mine
Estranged
Live and Let Die
T.V. Eye (The Stooges cover) (Duff on lead vocals)
This I Love
Anything Goes
Civil War
Slash Guitar Solo
Sweet Child o' Mine
November Rain
Patience
Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Nightrain
Paradise City

Songs we got last time 
Mr. Brownstone
You're Crazy
Better
I Wanna be Your Dog
Dead Horse

Songs we got this time
Bad Obsession
Hard Skool
Reckless Life
Pretty Tied Up
Perhaps
T.V. Eye (The Stooges cover) (Duff on lead vocals)
This I Love
Anything Goes
Patience

Pretenders

My City Was Gone
Talk of the Town
Kid
Biker
Boots of Chinese Plastic
Hymn to Her
Don't Get Me Wrong
Back on the Chain Gang
Thumbelina
I'll Stand by You
Brass in Pocket
Junkie Walk
Middle of the Road
Mystery Achievement

Until Next Time!

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Concert: The Chicks


August 13, 2023  Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor, Maine

Formerly known as the Dixie Chicks, they dropped the Dixie part in 2020, Kate really wanted to see them again.  She and her mother had gone and seen them 20 years ago in Massachusetts and she had an awesome time.  Kate's cousin Jesse went with as well, and her sister-in-law, they bought the seats right behind us.  


It was raining quite hard when we got off the exit and they delayed opening doors for an hour and delayed the opening act by half and hour.  It stopped raining before we headed down to go into the venue and it didn't rain again.  It was a beautiful night. 

The opening act, Wild Rivers, I had not heard of before, but they were decent.  They are based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I do think I heard the song they closed their set out with as it sounded familiar.

I had a great time at the show, but they played a lot from their most recent album and I'm more familiar with their catalogue of songs from their late 90's albums. I don't need to go see them again. 


The Chicks

Sin Wagon
Gaslighter
Texas Man
Julianna Calm Down
The Long Way Around
My Best Friend's Weddings
Sleep at Night
Ready to Run
Travelin' Soldier
Wide Open Spaces
Tights on My Boat
Daddy Lessons / Long Time Gone
Cowboy Take Me Away
Landslide
Rainbowland
Don't Let Me Die in Florida
March March
For Her
Everybody Loves You
White Trash Wedding
Not Ready to Make Nice
Goodbye Earl

Wild Rivers

Wandering Child
Bedrock
Speak Too Soon
If It Makes You Happy
Heart Attack
Stubborn Heart
Thinking 'Bout Love



Until Next Time!

Saturday, August 19, 2023

Concert: Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, and More



 August 19, 2012 Darlings Waterfront, Bangor, Maine

11 years ago today Katie and I went to  our first concert together.  She had purchased general admission lawn tickets with a former coworker, Chris, and someone else was going with them.  She said it would be great if I could go, the lawn tickets were sold out, but I figured I could buy any ticket and stand with them on the lawn area.  However I found two lawn tickets on Craigslist cheap and bought those, I wound up selling the second ticket to another friend of Chris.

I had been to a few concerts before this day, I enjoyed them but it wasn't something I sought out to go to.  I don't have regrets but I missed out on a lot of great acts that came to Maine over the years.  I also didn't have anyone to go to shows with, that certainly has changed with Kate!  

The real reason I wanted to go was petty jealousy.  At that time Kate and I weren't really together, we were just friends, but her going to this concert with another guy, essentially, made me confront how I really felt about her.  We rode up together and when I met Chris I quickly realized that I had nothing to worry about on the jealousy side.  


We had a great time and enjoyed all four acts. I can't find Cracker's set list but I remember they played sledgehammer.  Only regret was that I didn't buy the live recording that Blues Traveler was selling.  The only other show we have been too since then where that was an option was Jewel.  I think more bands should do that. 

I did not return to this venue until September 2022 for Stevie Nicks and the venue has completely changed from what it was to what it is. 


Barenaked Ladies
Four Seconds
The Old Apartment
It's All Been Done
Boomerang
Falling for the First Time
Shopping
Too Little Too Late
For You
Blame It on Me (Acoustic)
Brian Wilson
Pinch Me
Big Bang Theory Theme
One Week
If I Had $1000000 (with John Popper)
Barenaked Rap

Encore:
Alcohol

Blue Traveler
What I Got
Things Are Looking Up
You Don't Have to Love Me
Run-Around
Carolina Blues
Cara Let the Moon
But Anyway
Hook

Big Head Todd & The Monsters
Circle
Bittersweet
Rocksteady
Broken Hearted Savior
Sexy and I Know It (with Ed Robertson)
Free Riot (with John Popper)
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

Cracker
Sledgehammer

Until Next Time!