Band Bucket List

I don't think that we've done this before but then again I'm kind of a newcomer compared to some of you guys so...

What bands or musicians do you really want to see before they retire/OD/kill themselves and why? Unless anybody knows a mad scientist with a DeLorean let's keep the list to current bands or at the very least to musicians that are still alive and kicking.

1. Tom Waits. Yes, his voice is gravelly as all hell, his songs always sound slightly "off" but he can pull off a variety of genres that most people wouldn't even attempt. He can croon at a piano, crank out some pretty rocking tunes, record a traditional Russian dance tune, make an album that will make you cry on mushrooms (go ahead and try to listen to the Black Rider on drugs) and just flat out makes good music.

2. The Pogues. They don't play much anymore but I would consider doing things no decent man should ever do for the opportunity to see them live. How great of a show would this be? You'd be surrounded by thousands of drunken fools singing along to some of the greatest drinking music ever recorded. This is one band where I don't think I'd want to be in the front row for. I hear you go blind if you stare into Shane McGowan's teeth. Plus I'd make it a personal quest to see if I could show up to the concert more drunk than Shane himself. Fat chance!

3. The Stray Cats, or at least the Brian Setzer Orchestra. I love the Stray Cats and how they helped with a rockabilly music revival in the 80's. Aside from that, Brian Setzer is just a flat out great guitarist and one of my personal guitar heroes.

Alt Focus What bands have you been able to cross of your list?

 

Aerosmith I'm sure they'll be touring for awhile, but I got 7th row seat for my 17th birthday, which was really awesome for me at the time.
No Doubt This was during their Tragic Kingdom Tour, and arguably the last time they made music worth listening to.

Beyond those two, I've mainly only gone to festivals, so I'm not sure if Dashboard Confessional and A New Found Glory count, but they were on my list of bands to see live.

 

I wouldn't mind catching Van Morrison. Not just for Brown Eyed Girl; if I could hear him belt out Tupelo Honey or Straight To Your Heart (Like a Cannonball) before that booming voice leaves him, that would be pretty rad.

 

The Tragically Hip. Canada's biggest band, I band I have listened to for 20 years and STILL have not seen live.

Dr. Dre. He is everything that is great about Hip-Hop, the absolute king in spite of the limited recording he's personally done.

Tom Petty. Shame on me for not seeing him yet. He's too awesome to deserve such ignorance.

Pink Floyd. Waters and Gilmore just fucking make nice and tour already, before one of you dies.

The Police. The toured and I missed it, and I'm pretty sure they still hate each other.

Nine Inch Nails. I've seen them 6 times, but that is not enough. If you've seen my favourite band live, then you agree with me.

 

I'll second the NIN. I've seen them 5 times and once was a long long time ago at the Agora in Cleveland. Nice small venue. Great atmosphere. I'd like to see them again.

I got to see Floyd in 94 when they toured. I know a couple people who saw them during one of the Wall performances. I would have killed to see them anytime between Meddle and Animals. A magical string of perfect albums. The Wall as great as it is is too indulgent and too much Waters and not enough of the four members total input. Still would be cool to have seen that full set, but not as much as those years prior. Even if the two guys made up it just wouldn't be the same without Richard Wright.

My only regret is not seeing Alice in Chains back in the day. I saw pretty much every significant and probably not so significant band from the early nineties on and caught up on most every band from the 60's on still touring that I could. I never saw Alice in Chains. Just never worked out. I wasn't even able to make their recent tour with the new singer. Fate just won't seem to allow it. This is the only band still around that I can hopefully cross off the list. I'll count the new stuff as Cantrell was a huge driving force in all aspects. Layne will be missed but it's still thankfully vibing as AIC, similar to how AC/DC was able to move on and still rock.

I also wish I could have seen Stevie Ray Vaughn live. That would have been special. I was a little too young to go to shows when he died.

Other than that, if I ever wanted to see it I did. I worked from late middle school through college pretty much spending most of my money on concerts.

One last one, Zeppelin. I saw Plant/Page when they toured together and have seen both in solo situations, but seeing Bonham killing the drums with Page using a bow and Plant screaming with John Paul Jones holding it all perfectly together. Fuck. I should have been a teenager in the 70's. My parents were and they didn't take nearly enough advantage of it. I love me, but.....Assholes.

Edit: Oh yeah, if any of you have a chance to see B.B. King in concert, do so. Seriously. He can't make it too much longer. It'll be special. If it's a show at a venue that is typically for orchestras, even better. It'll be a classy event and you'll thank me. Him and Dylan are two living legends that just give you chills when you are seeing them in person. Their history and influence is pretty special and both won't be playing forever.

 

I saw him a couple years ago with a smaller crowd in my hometown. I was a stone's throw away from him. He was a phenomenal performer and it was a memorable concert. Definitely worth seeing. Check one off the bucket list.

I don't care if the Rolling Stones aren't as limber and drugged up as they used to be, but I'd travel a distance to see them.

Same goes for Jimmy Page and Robert Plant if they tour again. Of course, it wouldn't be the same as them killing it onstage with Jones and Bonham, but just to see and hear them would be very fulfilling.

Anti-Focus:

AC/DC
The Eagles
...and I'm seeing Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in a week. Ha. I'm celebrating a friend's 21st the night after so it'll be epic.

 

In line with some of the bands already mentioned:

Van Morrison: Tried to see him twice, both times, the show was canceled as he was too drunk to perform.
Pink Floyd: Got to see them twice, the first time being The Wall in NY, second time sans Waters (Momentary Lapse of Reason tour).
Tom Petty: Not yet, but he's pretty high on my list to see.
Eagles: See Tom Petty.
SRV: Another big miss.

Some others:
The Rolling Stones: Last time I saw them was the Steel Wheels tour and, while they were old even back then, they still put on one hell of a show. John Lee Hooker doing "Little Red Rooster" and Patti Labelle doing the female vocals on "Gimme Shelter" were worth the price of admission alone. Even at their current age, I'd go see them again...and again.
Bruce Springsteen: It was about 25 years between concerts and he was every bit as energized in the last show as he was on the River tour.
Led Zeppelin: I had tickets to see them in Chicago in 1980 and then Bonham up's and dies.
Elvis Costello: I've seen him perform numerous times when I lived back east (during his angry phase), but I've had bad luck seeing him here in TX. He's played here 3 times since I've been living here, bought tickets for the first two concerts, but had something come up the day of and couldn't make it. He was just here playing with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, but I didn't even bother getting tickets. Good thing, too. Something came up the afternoon of the show and I wouldn't have been able to go.
Dick Dale: The "King of the Surf Guitar" usually makes an appearance here in the fall, but at a small club/bar type joint, and he doesn't take the stage until around 11-12 midnight. Haven't seen him since sobering up for obvious reasons.
Eric Clapton: Missed him in London a few years back by a matter of days. Still high on the list.
Phish: Hopefully someday, they'll venture to this neck of the woods.
Jimmy Buffett: More times than I can count, but it was always more about the tailgate party than it was the concert. If he's in your area, just go tailgate. Parrotheads know how to throw down and have no problem sharing their bounty.
The Grateful Dead: Pretty much the same as going to Buffett, only less food and better drugs.
The Talking Heads: Another big miss for me.
Kiss: There. I said it. Yes, I was a member of the Kiss Army in my youth and they just put on a fun show.

 

There are only a couple bands that I haven't seen yet that really, really want to see before its too late:

Eric Clapton: This guy is just amazing, so prolific and so damned talented. I love most of his songs, but what I would really like is to just hear the guy off on his guitar.
The Eagles: They have always been a big favorite of mine since I was a kid, and they have so many great songs. My best friend saw them once, he told me that they were great on stage, one of the best shows he's scene.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Can't really say anything thats not already been said.
Elton John and Billy Joel: Seems they have been touring together lately. I like them both and I think seeing them together would just be a fun show.
Jack Johnson: He's got that great laid back, surfer vibe and it comes through in his music. I think it would be a great show.
Ben Harper (and the Innocent Criminals): Long time favorite of mine.
John Mayer, Jason Mraz: Fuck you, I like their music.

I absolutely love live music, and going to shows is one of my favorite things in the world.
Alt-Focus:

The bands I've been lucky enough to see already:
Phish: Saw them back in '03 in Denver. Best show I've ever seen (Of course, they are my favorite band). I'm about to see them again, two nights in a row in Atlanta over the 4th of July weekend.
Dave Matthews Band: I've seen him several times. Once at Bonnaroo, then at our downtown ball park and again in Dallas recently. These guys put on such amazing shows, it blows my mind.
Keller Williams: A lot of people don't know this guy, he's not that big of a name. He has such a unique sound though and puts on such a unique show, I'm really glad I got to see him.
Umphrey's McGee: Another largely unknown band, but they are getting pretty big in the 'jam band' Scene. Probably my second favorite band after Phish so I've seen them quite a few times. They are so damn tight on stage and have improvisational abilities way above and beyond anyone else.

 

Paul McCartney. Lennon was shot to death almost 30 years ago and Harrison died when I was in 8th grade, so my desire to see the last singer/songwriter of The Beatles is strong. He's 68 now, and although he shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon I'm still unsure if he'll be touring ten years from now. This is why I'm considering buying tickets to see him in PA later this summer, even though they are absurdly expensive. I recently saw a Beatles cover band perform and was mightily impressed. Being in a crowd during "Hey Jude," "Yesterday," "Lady Madonna," et al. was amazing and I can't imagine how great the real thing can be. Plus, McCartney seems to cover "Something" on ukulele quite a bit and its very good. Some of his post-Beatles stuff is also worth seeing.

In terms of more recent bands, I would love to see The Strokes and The White Stripes, although this may actually be harder since it seems like both groups are on hiatus.

 

Keller Williams I will second this guy. More so than any other artist I've heard, he just seems like he is having the time of his life when he is jamming out. Just pure fun...and he is nasty at what he does.

Pearl Jam They are such an incredibly influential band and from the clips I have seen put everything they have into their performances.

Tool I am not that familiar with their body of work but as I hear more and more I feel that seeing them in concert would be an experience I wouldn't soon forget.

Portishead Her voice is just...chilling

As for one of my favorite bands to see live, 311. They always put on a great show and give me an excuse to jump around like a maniac for a few hours.

 

The only concert I've ever been to was Muse, and I firmly believe that everyone else should see them at some point too.

 

Focus: I've been really fortunate to see so many great gigs in my 23 years, that there's only one big name missing from my Bucket List: Bob Dylan. I really should catch him before his Never-Ending Tour catches up with him.

There are others on my list that would be cool to see (The Stones, Faith No More, Soundgarden, Damien Rice) but none for whom I feel that metaphysical compulsion that the Bucket List inspires. Now, if Hüsker Dü were to reform...


Alt Focus: Like I said, I've been pretty lucky to see Springsteen 5 times, The Pogues 3, Muse 3, Prince twice, Sigur Ros twice, The Hold Steady 5 times, Metallica 3, Pink Floyd at Live 8 - just some of the benefits of living near London.

And in the past few years I've managed to cross off Radiohead, U2, Rage Against The Machine, King Crimson, Cynic, The Who, and The Mars Volta. So I'm doing OK.

 

Monster Magnet
I will make serious sacrifices to see this band if they play anywhere in North America again.
I was all set to see them play with Megadeth in 1998 when they came to the RGV on their "Space Lord" tour, but for reasons I won't get into, I missed their whole set!
Goddam that pisses me off.

Edit: Other bands that I will make an effort to see before they or I kick the bucket:

The Toadies (I've seen the Burden Brothers, but it's not the Toadies)
The Reverend Horton Heat
Social Distortion
Joan Jett (She opened for Def Leppard down here, but the tickets were priced for D.L., not Joan Jett, and I couldn't afford them at the time)

 

Of the greatest regrets in my life, telling my parents I planned on going to the Guns and Roses concert in St Louis when I was 13. They put an end to those plans, immediately.

That night Axl jumped off stage and attacked a fan with a camera. He jumped back on stage, said something about security sucking, and cancelled the show half way through.

Fans rioted, trashed the place, lit shit on fire, tons of arrests and people went to the hospital.

It'd still be worth it.




Edit- Youtubed it

 

Since I tend to go to festivals more often than concerts I've managed to knock a lot off my list, some of the best are:

RATM Seen them 3 times now, once in a German fort, once at Leeds festival and last month in London. Each time they were absolutely amazing. I can't really describe it, they were just fantastic and exactly what you would expect and desire from them

Tool: caught them on their 10,000 days tour. Simply perfect

2 many dj's: Not strictly a band, but their DJ set was a piece of pop culture art

Radiohead: What else is there to say?

Stevie Motherfucking Wonder: Seriously, stop what you are doing, find out where he his playing next and do everything possible to see him live. Sell your children's kidneys (fuck 'em, they don't need both of them), pimp out your wife, steal from blind people who aren't Stevie. Just make damn sure you see him.

Left on the bucket list are:

Daft Punk
DJ Shadow
The Swell Season

Yep, I would probably do jail time if it meant I got to see them.