Live and In Concert

This weekend, Ashley & I saw the British synth pop group Saint Etienne in concert at Park West in Chicago. Ashley got me into the band back when we first met. Having only been familiar up to that point with their club hit He's on the Phone, I soon became a fan listening to their back catalog. Their live performance was, to say the least, memorable and impressive.

Having such a great concert experience with Saint Etienne got me to thinking of all the other live performances I've seen over the years. By my count, it's been about nineteen concerts in a little over twenty years. It feels like a lot, though I know for some it barely scratches the surface of their concert-going experiences. As it stands, I've enjoyed most of the shows I've been to. Some more than others. Of course, you know I had to list and rank them.

Here goes!

19. Josh Wink - Chicago (circa 1998) - There are a lot of live performance dives in Chicago. The location for this concert was one of the dingiest. And Wink's style of ever-droning, simple-beat dance music isn't my style. I went mostly to impress a guy I liked at the time. That ultimately turned out about as well as the concert.

18. Air - Chicago (2004) - I've been a fan of this French band since their Moon Safari album in 1998. They're probably the best at soft, mellow electronic music. This show was part of their Talkie Walkie tour, and I was shocked at how awful the performance was. We arrived late with two friends who were bickering (that didn't help much), and the show was just the two band members on a dimly-lit stage, with minimal lighting and not very dramatic stage presence. A disappointment.

17. Cher - Champaign (2000) - Not so much bad, just unmemorable. I attended the concert with my mom, and when the only thing I can remember about it is that a college friend of hers was having some sort of medical procedure done, and mom had to leave for part of the time to take a call about an update on said friend, then you know it wasn't much to write home about.

16. Pet Shop Boys - Chicago (2006) - This wasn't a bad show but, out of the five (yes, five) occasions I've seen the Pet Shop Boys in concert, this felt uninspired. They were touring for their Fundamental album, which I wasn't terribly jazzed about to begin with. It probably said something that, when intermission had ended and the Boys were back on stage performing, many audience members were still out in the lobby chatting, making their way leisurely back into the concert hall.

15. Pernice Brothers - Champaign (2004) - I haven't thought of this band in years. They were touring for their solid Yours, Mine & Ours album, and made a stop at Cowboy Monkey in Champaign. It was a good, nice performance. Doing this list makes me want to listen to that album again.

14. Pet Shop Boys - Chicago (2013) - This is where I worried for a bit if I was becoming 'too old.' I was clasping my ears for much of the concert, as the sound felt screechingly loud. And I chose to sit down for a lot of it (most of the audience stood for the duration). In truth, while the sound was loud, it was the fourth time I'd seen the Boys in concert, so a bit of repetition and fatigue was likely setting in.

13. Andrew Bird - Urbana (2009) - Not sure I own a single Andrew Bird record, but by golly I was impressed with the man's live performance. His show was a nice mix of quirky music and endearing stage presence. Certainly memorable.

12. Alison Krauss - St. Louis (2008) - We saw Champaign's own down at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis, and it was a great time. Though her music isn't what I choose to listen to on a regular basis, I could appreciate that Alison put on an exciting show. A lively performance, good music, and a nice venue.

11. Pet Shop Boys - Chicago (2009) - Touring for their best album in over a decade, Yes, this concert saw the Boys back on form. Great fun and energy!

10. Vampire Weekend - Chicago (2008) - Our entire reason for attending that year's Pitchfork Festival, the (then new) band did not disappoint. A short(ish) set, since they'd only had the one album released up to then, it was still long enough, and enjoyable. We also caught a bit of UK hip hop artist Dizzee Rascal's set while there. Solid.

9. Nellie McKay - Bloomington, IL (2011) - One of Ashley's favorite singer/songwriters, this was a unique and intimate performance from the talented iconoclast. I'm happy we got to see her in concert.

8.  Dressy Bessy - Champaign (2005) - Another cool show at Cowboy Monkey, when the band was touring for their Electrified album. An electrifying (get it?) show. Lots of fun. Very memorable. Lead singer Tammy Ealom is the business.

7. Pet Shop Boys - Chicago (1999) - My first Pet Shop Boys concert, this one stands out for that reason, and that it was also very good. A solid set list, accompanied by the most performers I've seen for one of their shows. The crowd was really into it. While enjoyable, it was also a bittersweet occasion. I went alone. Once there, I had to have a couple drinks to loosen up and not feel so isolated (ironically, among a crow of people). I would later find out that Ashley was at the same concert, though this was several months before we would know each other existed.

6. Cher / Cyndi Lauper - Champaign (2002) - This was one awesome night. The whole experience adds to my enjoyment of it. We went with several friends. Met-up at their place and walked over to the concert venue, then were treated to a spectacular opening act by Cyndi Lauper. She nearly eclipsed Cher's main set! Both were great, though. 

5. La Bouche, Jocelyn Enriquez, Crush, etc. - Terre Haute, IN (circa 1996) - I'll never forget driving with friends to see what amounted to a multi-act Eurodance concert at what I think were some  fairgrounds. Why on earth they chose Terre Haute, Indiana is beyond me, but there you go. I was so into that type of music then, and it was such a fun time! A bonus was hearing the headlining act - La Bouche - on the radio as we drove in. They were out shopping at the local mall. Only five years later, lead singer Melanie Thornton would be dead in a plane crash. I will always cherish this concert.

4. Dolly Parton - Chicago (2005) - It was a privilege to see a legend live and in concert. Going to Dollywood last year was nice, but there's nothing like hearing Dolly herself belt out her classic tunes on stage in front of you. She was gracious and talkative during the performance and -- most importantly -- she started right on time. Showtime was at 8:00pm, and at 8:00pm the theater went completely dark for perhaps five seconds, and then the lights went up and Dolly was on stage and ready to rock. I've never been to another concert that's started on time, so kudos!

3. Pet Shop Boys - Chicago (2016) - After feeling their 2013 concert was loud and tedious, this was a refreshing experience. A great set list, beautiful venue, and solid performance from the Boys made for a splendid concert. Perhaps due to the deaths earlier in the year of David Bowie and Prince, I came to have an uneasy feeling of 'What if this is the last time I get to see them in concert?' A maudlin sentiment, for sure, but it made for a renewed appreciation in seeing them perform live. An added pleasure to the evening was having dinner before the concert with good friends (two of whom I'd gone to the aforementioned La Bouche show with). Fun times!

2. Saint Etienne - Chicago (2017) -  I know, it's fresh in my mind, so I'm probably ranking it too high. Not really. After so many years of listening to their music, it was refreshing and rewarding to hear Saint Etienne live and in concert. And they performed so well! A smooth show, receptive crowd, and a venue I'd never been to before. Park West has a nice set-up. I'd like to attend more shows there. And, to top it off, the band signed autographs out in the lobby after the concert. Just a lovely experience overall.

1. Johnny Mathis - St. Louis (2010) - What a wonderful, wonderful show! Ashley's long been a fan, and of course I knew who he was, so finally being able to see him in concert was quite a treat. Then 75-years-old, he put on a resplendent show. His voice was still superb, and he hit all the right notes. This was a Christmas-time show, which made for a nice blend of his regular songs, plus some holiday favorites. Chances are we were going to love this show, and we did!

And, there you have it. I keep worrying I've forgotten a concert, but hopefully not. Of course, there are a few I've left out, mostly because of the internal parameters used for what constituted a proper concert: No free performances. I had to pay to get in (so that nixes the occasion I saw Dressy Bessy for a second time, and seeing Soul Asylum, Parliament Funkadelic, and Berlin in concert). Other than that, this is a pretty comprehensive list. It was nice to go down memory lane, and here's hoping the next nineteen concerts are just as fun.