Concert: Guns N' Roses at Fenway Park 2021

August 3, 2021 Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts 

My Cousin-in-Law Jason and I made the journey south to Fenway Park to attend out first Guns N' Roses concert.  They played not far from my house back in 1993 when I was 13 and my mom would not let me go.   A couple months later and essentially did not reunite until 2016.  Yes a version of GnR toured but with Slash and Duff it wasn't GnR.  This show was the first opportunity that I had to attend a show.

It was originally schedule for July 21, 2020 but the pandemic delayed the show until August 3, 2021.  We had seats on the side, but it was amazing, no one can tell me otherwise.  

Before the delay Smashing Pumpkins was supposed to open for them, but post pandemic we got Mammoth WVH.  They were ok, I couldn't really hear them that well and I'd never heard their music before.

We got down there, and eventually found parking, what was cool is they had official merchandise stands all around Fenway park.  You didn't have to go to the show to buy merchandise, which is pretty smart actually.  We bought t-shirts the traditions Appetite for Destruction logo tour shirts and swapped out leaving the others in the van.  

Let's be honest, Axl doesn't sound like Axl from when I was a kid, but it's still Axl Rose, and Slash is AMAZING!!  Duff is tremendous too.  We got the new song Absurd, which was just ok.  I was very surprised that we got the cover of Velvet Revolvers "Slither" it's a great song.  I was very surprised to to hear Rocket Queen, I'm a big fan of that track.  

Guns N' Roses

It's So Easy

Mr. Brownstone

Chinese Democracy

Welcome to the Jungle

Slither - Velvet Revolver cover

Double Talkin' Jive

Estranged

Live and Let Die

You're Crazy

Better

Rocket Queen

You Could Be Mine

I Wanna Be Your Dog

Absurd

Civil War

Dead Horse

Slash Guitar Solo

Sweet Child O Mine

November Rain

Knockin' On Heavens Door

Night Train

Encore: Paradise City

Mammoth WVH

Don't Back Down

Mammoth

Mr. Ed

Talk & Walk

Think It Over

You're To Blame

Stone

Distance

Epiphany

All in all it was a fantastic day finally seeing one of my all time favorite bands live.

Until Next Time!

Concert: Dierks Bentley

May 3, 2012 The Civic Center, Augusta, Maine

My ex-inlaws both retired from City of Augusta and one of the perks they each received was two sets of vouchers for two free tickets to any show at the Augusta Civic Center.  This issue is the Civic Center doesn't bring in many acts they would want to use the vouchers on.  

When this show was announced June asked me if I wanted a pair of tickets, I thought why not I like Dierks Bentley.  I was newly single though and it was a bit of a struggle to find someone to go with.  I had been commiserating with someone I had gone to school with and invited her, we had a fun time! 

I can't find the set lists or recall much about the two opening acts other then I enjoyed them.

I've been to the Augusta Civic Center for a lot of events, but this is my only concert. 

Dierks Bentley

Country & Cold Cans

Feel That Fire

Am I the Only One

Trying to Stop Your Leaving

Lot of Leavin' Left to Do

5-1-5-0

Every Mile a Memory

Settle for a Slowdown

The Woods

Up on the Ridge

Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)

Come a Little Closer

How Am I Doin'

Sideways

Home

Tip It on Back

Encore:

The Weight

What Was I Thinkin'

Eli Young Band

Will Hoge

Until Next Time!

Concert: Tom Jones

May 7, 2005 MGM Grand Casino, Ballroom Las Vegas, Nevada 

In 2005 my then wife and in-laws and I travelled to Las Vegas for a weeks vacation.  We stayed off strip at a very nice time share.  The night we arrived I called the Ballroom box office and said I wanted two tickets to on the night with the best seats available for the nights we would be in town.  After a few moments in was the next day, so I bought the tickets.

We had a table about halfway up the seating area with a great view.  Tom put on a hell of a show singing and dancing for a solid 75 plus minutes.  Ladies on the floor area were even throwing panties at him!

It was excited to see a Las Vegas stalwart live on my first trip there.    

Tom Jones International

Mama Told Me Not to Come

Delilah

Help Yourself

She's a Lady

Stoned in Love

Love Letters

200lbs of Heavenly Joy

End of the Road

What Am I Living For

I'll Never Fall in Love Again

Green Grass of Home

What's New Pussycat?

You Can Leave Your Hat On

It's Not Unusual

Encore:

Hi-Heel Sneakers

Kiss

Until Next Time!

Concert: Dierks Bentley With Miranda Lambert

October 20, 2006 The Colisee, Lewiston, Maine 

Went to this show because it seemed like it would be fun, I was into country at the time and was a fan of Dierks Bentley.  Miranda Lambert I knew from Nashville Star she came in 3rd place in 2003.  Nashville Star was the country music version of American Idol.

The opening act was the Randy Rogers Band, and I really liked them a lot!! I even bought their CD and got them all to sign it.  I can't find a set list but I do remember a few songs that they played, mostly off their first album.

It's funny because several years later Miranda has exploded and she was headlining a tour with Dierks as her opening act. 

Dierks Bentley

Every Mile a Memory

Can't Live It Down

Lot of Leavin' Left to Do

Cab of My Truck

How Am I Doin'

Domestic, Light and Cold

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry

Settle for a Slowdown

Trying to Stop Your Leaving

Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)

That Don't Make It Easy Loving Me

So So Long

My Last Name

Train Travelin'

Come a Little Closer

What Was I Thinkin'

Encore:

Long Trip Alone

Folsom Prison Blues (with Miranda Lambert)

Miranda Lambert

What About Georgia?

Me and Charlie Talking

I Wanna Die

Dry Town

Gunpowder & Lead

Bring Me Down

New Strings

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Hillbilly Highway

Kerosene

Randy Rogers Band

Better of Wrong

One More Goodbye

You Could Change My Mind

Just A Matter of Time

Until Next Time!

Concert: The Heavy Heavy

July 27, 2023 Lark Hall, Albany New York

Back in early July Kate and I were at Fat Boy Drive-In in Brunswick for dinner when she asked if we could go to Bull Moose as she wanted to get a CD.  I asked which band and she said The Heavy Heavy, I responded that I love that band.  She said she thought they just played in Maine and I thought the concert was upcoming.

We checked their schedule and they had a show coming up on August 8th at Thompson's Point opening for Band of Horses and The Revivalist.  Tickets, with fees were like $66 each and even though the venue is nice, the parking is terrible.  Band of Horses is cool and we don't know enough of the Revivalist to spend that kind of money.  Kate said, maybe they will be in the Albany are while we are there.  I scrolled up ans sure enough they were set to play at Lark Hall in Albany on Thursday July 27th.  We bought tickets straight away and with fee's it was $49.10 total!

If you'd like to read about our whole vacation you can here: Spectacular 10th Anniversary Vacation Extravaganza!!! 

We got downtown and found parking at the church for $6 just up the road from the venue a short distance.  Doors opened at 7pm with a schedule start time at8pm, but Free Range went on a bit late. 

 Lark Hall was built in 1916 by the Daughters of the Eastern Star, I think they are linked to the Freemasons.   The venue is gorgeous inside, the performance floor is on the second floor, with tall ceilings and mezzanine area.  The floor holds 250 and the mezzanine 50, I would guess 75 - 100 people where there that night and they were treated to an unbelievable show. 

While waiting we checked out the merch, Kate bought a t-shirt, I'm jealous as I REALLY like the white one but they only go to 2XL and I need 3.  I did get a sweet pin for my pin wall here at work though!

  We sat on one of the pews for the opening act, Free Range.  They were decent, not my favorite flavor of music but they put on a solid set for about 45 minutes.  

They Heavy Heavy are a Brighton, UK based band, their website boasts "The Heavy Heavy are a 5 piece retro inspired rock band, making the music the sixties forgot-with bombastic soul and peaceful goals."  Kate once said there style reminds her of The Mama's & The Papa's, and I get that.  

They took the stage and they sounded AMAZING!  We were only a few feet from the stage, and you could just feel the music.  The harmonies were outstanding.  They played several songs that we knew form their Life and Life Only EP, and the ones we didn't were still awesome. 

We danced, we sang with gusto, we had a tremendous time.  

I'm not sure of the setlist, I found this one online and they are missing a track, but this seems correct.  

1. Parakeets

2. Purple Flowers

3. Man of the Hills

4. All My Dreams

5. Go Down River

6. Dirt

7. All I Need

8. Real Love Baby

9. 

10. One of a Kind

11. Miles and Miles

I could have listened to them play for hours.  After the show Georgie Fuller and Will Turner, the two main members of the band went to the merch table, I bought their album and got that signed.  Kate told them that Go Down River is her new favorite song, Georgie mentioned she saw us out of the corner of her eye singing with that song and how we so into the "I've got your back" line.  She seemed excited that we were into the show.  I regret not asking to get a photo with them, I won't forget next time.

I want to see them again so bad!  I'd even go to Thompson's Point and deal with the horrid parking if we could make it work out.  

I found this video on YouTube that someone made of the show, if you go to 5:47 mark of the video I pretty sure you can see the moment Georgie mentioned.  You can see the silhouette of Kate and during that line it looks like Georgie is look right at us and she cracks a smile after the line.  

I still can't believe we got to such an amazing band in such an intimate setting, it will be hard to top this show. 

Until Next Time!

Concert: Brad Paisley

August 3, 2007 Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Connecticut  

I don't have any photos of this show and I can't find a tour poster image.  I guess I could take a picture of my ticket stub.  Anyhow my then wife wanted to go to this concert and I was game to get away.  Ticketmaster fees today are obnoxious, but even back then they were bad.  It was actually cheaper to buy a membership in the Brad Paisley fan club and buy tickets from them than it was to buy them direct from the casino.  Also the fan club tickets were better than what was available from Ticketmaster.

What was unique is that Paisley had three opening acts that included American Idol alumni Kellie Pickler, newcomer Taylor Swift and Jack Ingram.  All three of them had hit songs on the radio.  I don't have Picklers complete set, but I thought she was fantastic.  Taylor Swift was very energetic and  put on a heck of a show.  I don't recall much from Jack Ingram other than people loved his cover of Hinder's "Lips of an Angel".  

Paisley's set was also fantastic, I was familiar with almost all of his songs.  Near the end of his set he called out a special guest in Glen Campbell, who was performing at the Mohegan Sun the next day.  Brad asked Glen if he'd like to play a song and then proceed to play several of his hits and mostly Brad just stood and stared at him like a little kid.  It was FANTASTIC!!

It was a very long night and after the show and after the show both Kellie and Taylor were in the venue concours to sign autographs and sell merch.  I only had time to choose one to meet, and in the long run, I chose poorly going with Kellie Pickler.

Brad Paisley

Online

Wrapped Around

Mud on the Tires

Better Than This

She's Everything

Celebrity

The World

Mr. Policeman

Throttleneck

When I Get Where I'm Going

Little Moments

We Danced

Whiskey Lullaby

Ticks

Alcohol

Encore:

I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)

Folsom Prison Blues

Glen Campbell

Gentle on My Mind

Galveston

Wichita Lineman

Rhinestone Cowboy

Jack Ingram

Wherever You Are

Maybe She'll Get Lonely

Hold On

Measure of a Man

Keep On Keepin' On

Rank Bull

Lips of an Angel

Barbie Doll

Love You

Taylor Swift

Lose Yourself (Eminem cover)

Our Song

Teardrops on My Guitar

Should've Said No

Tim McGraw

Picture to Burn

Kellie Pickler

Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind

I Wonder

Red High Heels

Until Next Time!

Concert: Kurt Vile & The Violators with Garcia Peoples

August 3, 2019 The State Theatre, Portland, Maine

I had never heard either band before that I was aware, Kate said let's buy tickets and go so we did.  I trust her taste in music and we've never had a bad time at a concert together.  I really like the atmosphere at the State Theatre and it's even better when you get a good show for a low ticket price. 

We really enjoyed both acts, I like Garcia People's more, a really fun night!

Kurt Vile & The Violators

Loading Zones

Jesus Fever

Bassackwards

I'm an Outlaw

Check Baby

Girl Called Alex

Cold Was The Wind

Runner Ups

Yeah Bones

Walking On a Pretty Day

Puppet to the Man

Wild Imagination

Encore:

Wheelhouse

Pretty Pimpin

Downbound Train ( Springsteen Cover) 

Garcia Peoples

Feel So Great

Break Me Down

Nublue Jam

High Noon Violence

7 Jam

World's Illusion

Ave C Jam

Until Next Time!