Live Music

With the COVID-19 pandemic, I, like most of you, I’m sure, didn’t get to see any live shows. Yes, I did go to two outdoor block parties where there were some local musicians performing, and there was that time I happened upon a jazz band playing outside by Ocean Beach. But no stadium concerts, no rock shows in small clubs, no festivals. I’ve missed going to shows. True, as I have gotten older, my energy levels have not been the same, and my tolerance for tall men standing in front of me (which ALWAYS seems to happen when I am at general admission shows) has gotten much lower. That said, I still love to hear live music. I miss the atmosphere, the anticipation when you’re waiting for the band to start, the thrill when the singer starts to belt out your favorite song, the other fans.

Shonen Knife at the Uptown, Oakland, November 2009.
Brian Jonestown Massacre, Fox Theater, Oakland, May 2014.
King Khan and the Shrines at the Burger Boogaloo Festival, Oakland, June 2016.

Recently, I bought tickets for some shows in the fall. It was an exciting feeling thinking about being out at shows again. Hopefully, the pandemic is indeed under control and we can move forward toward “normal life,” whatever that will now be. In the spirit of anticipation for going out to see bands, I was looking back at a list I’ve been updating over the years–a list of bands I’ve seen in my lifetime. I’m sure I’ve forgotten some, and I have not been 100% consistent in including only fairly well-known, signed bands (as opposed to unsigned local bands). But, it’s still a fairly complete list of my history with live music. It’s always a fun trip down memory lane when I reminisce about these shows! Can you tell I’m a music fan?

1982–1986: High School (Living in N.E. PA)

  1. Beach Boys, The (a university in Scranton or Wilkes-Barre?)
  2. Cheap Trick (a university in Scranton or Wilkes-Barre?)
  3. Jacksons, The (Victory Tour, JFK Stadium, Philadelphia)

1986–1990: College (Living in Philadelphia)

  1. B-52s, The (Mann Music Center, Philadelphia)
  2. Big Audio Dynamite (Chestnut Cabaret, Philadelphia)
  3. Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band (Human Rights Now! Tour for Amnesty International, JFK Stadium, Philadelphia)
  4. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Meadowlands, NY)
  5. Cure, The (The Spectrum, Philadelphia)
  6. David Bowie (The Spectrum, Philadelphia)—two nights in a row!
  7. Depeche Mode (The Spectrum, Philadelphia?)
  8. Fishbone (Irvine Auditorium, U of Penn, Philadelphia)
  9. Hooters, The (Univ. of Penn campus, Philadelphia)
  10. Indigo Girls (Univ. of Penn campus, Philadelphia)
  11. Joan Jett (Univ. of Penn campus, Philadelphia)
  12. Miles Davis (Kirby Theater, Wilkes-Barre, PA)
  13. New Order (Irvine Auditorium, U of Penn, Philadelphia)—Dec 1986 (see obsessive transcript of bootleg tapes of maybe every New Order show, including this one, at http://www.new-order.net/no/gigs/nogigs.html)
  14. Peter Gabriel (Human Rights Now! Tour for Amnesty International, JFK Stadium, Philadelphia)
  15. Siouxsie and the Banshees (Irvine Auditorium, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia)—not 100% sure I really saw this show, but I have a vague memory I did
  16. Sting (Human Rights Now! Tour for Amnesty International, JFK Stadium, Philadelphia)
  17. Sting (Nothing Like the Sun Tour, The Spectrum, Philadelphia)—two nights in a row!
  18. Tracy Chapman (Human Rights Now! Tour for Amnesty International, JFK Stadium, Philadelphia)
  19. U2 (Joshua Tree tour; JFK Stadium, Philadelphia)
  20. Youssou N’Dour (Human Rights Now! Tour for Amnesty International, JFK Stadium, Philadelphia)
  21. Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers (Irvine Auditorium, U of Penn, Philadelphia)
  22. Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers (Mann Music Center, Philadelphia)

1990–2005 (Living in Philadelphia Post College)

  1. All Mighty Senators (The Casbah, Philadelphia)
  2. Ani DiFranco (Mann Music Center, Philadelphia)
  3. Beastie Boys (Field Day 2003, New York City)
  4. Beck (Lollapalooza 1995, Randall’s Island, New York City)
  5. Beth Orton (Field Day 2003, New York City)
  6. Billy Bragg (Penns Landing, Philadelphia)
  7. Black Crowes, The (Tweeter Center, Camden, NJ)
  8. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (TLA, Philadelphia)
  9. Blackalicious (Electric Factory, Philadelphia)
  10. Blur (Field Day 2003, New York City)
  11. Bonnie Raitt (Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia?)
  12. Brand New Heavies (Trocadero Theater, Philadelphia)
  13. Breeders, The (North Star Bar, Philadelphia)
  14. Bright Eyes (Field Day 2003, New York City)
  15. Buckwheat Zydeco (Penns Landing, Philadelphia)
  16. Cake (Mann Music Center, Philadelphia)
  17. Chemical Brothers (Electric Factory, Philadelphia)
  18. Chemical Brothers (somewhere in NYC)
  19. Cracker (Mann Music Center, Philadelphia)
  20. Cypress Hill (Lollapalooza 1995, Randall’s Island, New York City)
  21. Damned, The (Trocadero Theater, Philadelphia)
  22. Dead Milkmen (Clark Park, Philadelphia)
  23. Dilated Peoples (Electric Factory, Philadelphia)
  24. DJ Krush (outdoor party, Center City Philadelphia)
  25. Earth, Wind & Fire (Spectrum, Philadelphia)
  26. Elastica (Lollapalooza 1995, Randall’s Island, New York City)
  27. Electric Eel Shock (Khyber, Philadelphia)
  28. Elliott Smith (Field Day 2003, New York City)
  29. Franz Ferdinand (TLA, Philadelphia)
  30. Friggs, The (Upstairs at Nicks, Philadelphia)
  31. George Clinton & the P-Funk Allstars (Robin Hood Dell, Philadelphia)
  32. George Clinton & the P-Funk Allstars (Electric Factory, Philadelphia)
  33. Gin Blossoms, The (Mann Music Center, Philadelphia)
  34. Hole (Lollapalooza 1995, Randall’s Island, New York City)
  35. Holly Golightly (Khyber, Philadelphia)
  36. Hot Hot Heat (TLA, Philadelphia)
  37. Interpol (TLA, Philadelphia)
  38. Jenn Trynan (JC Dobbs, Philadelphia)
  39. Josh Wink (Fluid, Philadelphia)
  40. Killers, The (TLA, Philadelphia)
  41. King Britt (Fluid, Philadelphia)
  42. Laurie Anderson (Prince Music Theater, Philadelphia)
  43. Lenny Kravitz (Tweeter Center, Camden, NJ)
  44. L7 (JC Dobbs, Philadelphia)
  45. Le Tigre (The Trocadero Theater, Philadelphia)
  46. Lisa Loeb (private party, Mountain Lakes, NJ)
  47. Live (Mann Music Center, Philadelphia)
  48. Liz Phair (Field Day 2003, New York City)
  49. Los Straightjackets (The Trocadero Theater, Philadelphia)
  50. Louis XIV (TLA, Philadelphia)
  51. Low Road, The (North Star Bar, Philadelphia)
  52. LTJ Bukem (The Trocadero Theater, Philadelphia)
  53. Maroon Five (TLA, Philadelphia)
  54. Mekons, The (Khyber, Philadelphia)
  55. Michael Tolcher (TLA, Philadelphia)
  56. Murmurs, The (JC Dobbs, Philadelphia)
  57. My Morning Jacket (Field Day 2003, New York City)
  58. Neville Brothers, The (Penns Landing, Philadelphia)
  59. New Pornographers, The (TLA, Philadelphia)
  60. Pixies, The (Tweeter Center, Camden, NJ)
  61. Public Enemy (Electric Factory, Philadelphia)
  62. Radiohead (Field Day 2003, New York City)
  63. Rufus Wainwright (TLA, Philadelphia)
  64. Sade (Tweeter Center, Camden, NJ)
  65. Sleater-Kinney (Trocadero Theater, Philadelphia)
  66. Sonic Youth (Lollapalooza 1995, Randall’s Island, New York City)
  67. Sonic Youth (Festival Pier, Philadelphia)
  68. Southern Culture on the Skids (North Star Bar, Philadelphia)
  69. Spin Doctors (Mann Music Center, Philadelphia)
  70. Spiritualized (Field Day 2003, New York City)
  71. Stereo Total (The Fire, Philadelphia)
  72. Stereolab (Trocadero Theater, Philadelphia)
  73. Team Dresch (The Casbah? Philadelphia)
  74. Thermals, The (Trocadero Theater, Philadelphia)
  75. Underworld (Field Day 2003, New York City)
  76. U2 (PopMart tour; Franklin Field, Philadelphia)
  77. Wilco (Festival Pier, Philadelphia)
  78. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Penns Landing, Philadelphia)

2005–2010: Grad School (Living in Oakland)

  1. Air (Fox Theater, Oakland)
  2. Arturo Sandoval (and other jazz greats; Yoshi’s, Oakland, CA)
  3. Boozoo Bajou (1751 Fulton, San Francisco)
  4. Brian Jonestown Massacre, The (Independent, San Francisco)
  5. British Sea Power (Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco)
  6. Cheb i Sabbah (Mezzanine, San Francisco)
  7. Cliks, The (True Colors for Gay Rights tour, Greek Theater, Berkeley), June 2007
  8. Cyndi Lauper (True Colors for Gay Rights tour, Greek Theater, Berkeley), June 2007
  9. Death Cab for Cutie (Paramount Theater, Oakland)
  10. Debbie Harry (True Colors for Gay Rights tour, Greek Theater, Berkeley), June 2007
  11. Dilettantes, The (Café Du Nord, San Francisco)
  12. DJ Krush (Mighty, San Francisco)
  13. Dolly Parton (Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, 2005)
  14. Dresden Dolls, The (True Colors for Gay Rights tour, Greek Theater, Berkeley), June 2007
  15. Emmylou Harris (Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, 2005)
  16. Erasure (True Colors for Gay Rights tour, Greek Theater, Berkeley), June 2007
  17. G. Love & Special Sauce (Warfield, San Francisco)
  18. Gossip, The (True Colors for Gay Rights tour, Greek Theater, Berkeley), June 2007
  19. Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs (Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco)
  20. Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs (Café Du Nord, San Francisco)
  21. Indigo Girls (True Colors for Gay Rights tour, Greek Theater, Berkeley), June 2007
  22. King Britt (Burning Man 2005, Black Rock Desert, Nevada)
  23. King Britt (1751 Fulton, San Francisco)
  24. King Khan & The Shrines (Bimbos, San Francisco)
  25. Les Nubiens (Stern Grove, San Francisco)
  26. Miss Kitten (Mezzanine, San Francisco)
  27. Mother Hips, The (Café Du Nord, San Francisco)
  28. National, The (The Filmore, San Francisco)
  29. Nitzer Ebb (Slims, San Francisco)
  30. Paul Oakenfold (Burning Man, Black Rock Desert, Nevada), August 2006
  31. Polysics (opening for Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs, Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco)
  32. RJD2 (U CA Berkeley campus, Berkeley)
  33. Rykarda Parasol (Café Du Nord, San Francisco)
  34. Shins, The (Paramount Theater, Oakland)
  35. Shonen Knife (Uptown, Oakland)
  36. Lonnie Smith (Herbst Theater, San Francisco)
  37. Stereolab (Independent, San Francisco)
  38. Rufus Wainwright (True Colors for Gay Rights tour, Greek Theater, Berkeley), June 2007
  39. We Are Scientists (Independent, San Francisco)
  40. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (The Filmore, San Francisco)
  41. Yellowjackets, The (Yoshi’s, Oakland)
  42. Yo La Tengo (Palace of Fine Arts Theater, San Francisco)

2010–2012: Living in Humboldt County

  1. Apples in Stereo (Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA)
  2. Esperanza Spalding (Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA)
  3. Jake Shimabukaru (Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA)
  4. Maceo Parker (Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA)
  5. Mason Jennings (Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA)
  6. Neko Case (Stern Grove, San Francisco)
  7. Patti Smith (Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA)
  8. Shook Twins (Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA)
  9. They Might Be Giants (Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA)

2012–2019: Living in Santa Cruz

  1. Afrofunk Experience (Crepe Place, Santa Cruz, CA)
  2. Aimee Mann (Rio Theater, Santa Cruz, CA)
  3. Arcade Fire (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  4. Bad Light, The (opening for Black Mountain at The Atrium at The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  5. Band of Orcs (The Atrium at The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  6. Beats Antique (The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  7. Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite (The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  8. Black Mountain (The Atrium at the Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  9. Black Uhuru (Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz, CA)
  10. Brian Jonestown Massacre, The (Fox Theater, Oakland, CA)
  11. Brian Jonestown Massacre, The (Bimbo’s 365 Club, San Francisco, CA)
  12. Cali Buds (Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  13. Catie Curtis & Maia Sharp (Don Quixote’s, Felton, CA)
  14. Church, The (opening for Psychedelic Furs, Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA)
  15. Coffee Zombie Collective (opening for Diego’s Umbrella, Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz, CA)
  16. Coffis Brothers, The (Henflings Tavern, Ben Lomond, CA)
  17. Cowboy Junkies (Rio Theater, Santa Cruz, CA)
  18. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  19. Delhi 2 Dublin (The Atrium at The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  20. Diana Krall (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  21. Diego’s Umbrella (Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz, CA)
  22. Drunken Prayer (opening for Handsome Family, Don Quixote’s, Felton, CA)
  23. Dwarves, The (at Burger Boogaloo, Oakland, CA)
  24. Echo & the Bunnymen (The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  25. Elvis Costello (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  26. Esperanza Spalding (The Rio Theater, Santa Cruz, CA)
  27. Fadeaways (Burger Boogaloo, Oakland, CA)
  28. Flamin’ Groovies (Burger Boogaloo, Oakland, CA)
  29. Foreverland (at Flynn’s, Felton, CA)
  30. fun. (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  31. Giorgio Murderer (Burger Boogaloo, Oakland, CA)
  32. Good Luck Thrift Shop Outfit, The (Don Quixotes, Felton, CA)
  33. Habib Koité (Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Santa Cruz, CA)—two different years
  34. Handsome Family (Don Quixote’s, Felton, CA)
  35. Heart (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  36. Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs (The Crepe Place, Santa Cruz, CA)
  37. Jack Johnson (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  38. Jenny Lewis (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  39. King Khan and the Shrines (Burger Boogaloo, Oakland, CA)
  40. Ladysmith Black Mambazo (Rio Theater, Santa Cruz, CA)
  41. McCoy Tyler Band, The (Henflings Tavern, Ben Lomond, CA)
  42. Meters Experience, The (Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz, CA)
  43. Michael Franti (Red Rocks Amphitheater, Morrison, CO), June 2019
  44. Miss Lonely Hearts (Don Quixotes, Felton, CA)
  45. My Morning Jacket (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  46. Neil Young (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  47. Neko Case (Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA)
  48. Nels Andrews (Crepe Place, Santa Cruz, CA)
  49. Patti Smith (Rio Theater, Santa Cruz, CA)
  50. Psychedelic Furs (Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA)
  51. Queens of the Stone Age (Bridge School Benefit, Mountain View, CA)
  52. Rayland Baxter (The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  53. Renee Blair (opening for Willie Nelson & Family, Kaiser Arena, Santa Cruz, CA)
  54. Robyn Hitchcock (opening for Neko Case, Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA)
  55. Sebadoh (opening for Thurston Moore, the Atrium at the Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  56. Skyway Man (opening for Rayland Baxter, the Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  57. seablite (opening for Brian Jonestown Massacre, Bimbo’s 365 Club, San Francisco, CA), May 2018
  58. Shannon and the Clams (Burger Boogaloo, Oakland, CA)
  59. Slack Key (Don Quixotes, Felton, CA)
  60. Terry and Louie (Burger Boogaloo, Oakland, CA)
  61. Thurston Moore (the Atrium at the Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA)
  62. Willie Nelson & Family (Kaiser Arena, Santa Cruz, CA)

2019–20??: Living in San Francisco

  1. Ladytron (UC Theater, Berkeley, CA), Dec 2019
  2. Seablite (UC Theater, Berkeley, CA), Dec 2019
  3. Calexico and Iron & Wine (Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco), Oct 2019

… hopefully many more to come!