This Facebook music quiz is making the rounds. How would you respond?
I’m not one to share Facebook things like this–Who am I? My dad?–but I do find this interesting. Basically, it’s a survey of your concert-going history and future.
- First concert
- Last concert
- Best concert
- Worst concert
- Loudest concert
- Act seen the most in concert
- Most surprising concert
- Next concert
- Wished I’d seen
- Want to see again
Okay, I’ll bite:
- KISS, July 21, 1978
- David Lee Roth, House of Blues, Las Vegas, January 7, 2020
- Peter Gabriel, War Memorial Auditorian, Rochester, July 1993; every time I’ve seen Paul McCartney
- Aerosmith, Winnipeg, July 30, 1978
- Anvil, numerous times
- Rush and U2 (tie)
- Elvis Costello, Playhouse Theatre, Winnipeg, November 1978
- Not quite sure yet.
- Nirvana
- Paul McCartney
Your turn.
First concert – The Beach Boys at Parlee Beach, Shediac, NB (1988)
Last concert – Buckcherry at Ranchman’s in Calgary (2018)
Best concert – Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band- Magnetic Hill, Moncton, NB (2012)
Worst concert –
Loudest concert – Big Sugar – Harvest Jazz and Blues, Fredericton NB (2011)
Act seen the most in concert – Tragically Hip (5 Times)
Most surprising concert – Killswitch Engage/Anthrax MacEwan Hall Calgary (2017) – KillswitchEngage were so good
Next concert – Hopefully Grapes of Wrath or The Northern Pikes
Wished I’d seen – Mother Love Bone
Want to see again – Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band
I normally hate and ignore these things. But it’s music, and it’s you asking, so I’m in. 🙂
First concert – Scorpions (Kingdom Come opening), Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, circa 1988
Last concert – Ghost with Nevermore, Rogers Place, Edmonton, September 2019.
Best concert – Rammstein 2008, U2 PopMart 1997, Metallica – Damaged Justice 1989
Worst concert – Poison, 2018
Loudest concert – Metallica Damaged Justice 1989
Act seen the most in concert – Def Leppard, Metallica. Seen each band 7 times
Most surprising concert – Corey Hart with Glass Tiger, June 2019. I was shocked at how good they were, and how much I enjoyed the show.
Next concert – Flock of Seagulls, Men Without Hats, The Spoons!
Wished I’d seen – Pink Floyd in 1997, Pulse tour
Want to see again – Rammstein, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Muse
Which venue did you see Corey Hart in? I’m a huge fan and went to 5 of his shows this summer. Love seeing reviews like yours!
First concert: Rush / Max Webster, Feb. 17, 1980, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit
Last concert: Jim Cuddy Band, Jan. 23, 2020, DMH, Toronto
Best concert: Tool, Nov. 12, 2020, Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
Worst concert: CHUMFM’s “FanFest” concert, every one of them
Loudest concert: Tool, May 16, 2006, Hummingbird Centre, Toronto
Act seen the most in concert: The Lazys
Most surprising concert: Chris Cornell, Nov. 6, 2013, Massey Hall, Toronto
Next concert: Mountain Head, Jan. 31, 2020, The Drake, Toronto
Wished I’d seen: Nirvana
Want to see again: NIN
First concert: The Fixx, Oct 10, 1984. Max Bell Arena, Calgary. Opener unknown.
Last concert: Iron Maiden, August 31, 2019. Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary. Opener unknown.
Best Concert: Rush, R40 Live, July 25, 2015. MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas. (Rush’s 4th last show, ever!). The absolute best. No question.
Worst Concert: Guns n’ Roses, Opening for The Cult on the Electric Tour, August 27, 1987. Max Bell Arena, Calgary. We were there to see The Cult play their awesome Electric album. GNR really didn’t break till 1988 (Sweet Child of Mine was released as a single in Aug 1989) and at the time we were thinking “who the fook are these clowns?” We literally booed them. Oops. But they were pretty cliche terrible. Runner up: Love & Rockets Oct 21 1986. MacEwan Hall Ballroom, University of Calgary. Pains me to say it, because I love the band so much and it was my only chance to ever see them. But they played 2 songs, then Daniel Ash had a hissy fit and they left.
Loudest Concert: Motörhead, Apr 17 2005, The Whiskey, Calgary. After other close calls, I thought that time I’d actually gone deaf. Couldn’t hear for 4 days.
Act seen the most in concert: Rush. 10 times. Wish there could be an 11th.
Most surprising concert: Garth Brooks, Oct 14, 1993, Olympic Saddledome, Calgary. Not a fan of Country Music. But wow. Dude puts on a show. That place was going NUTS.
Next Concert: To be determined
Wished I’d seen: Turbonegro with original lineup and Hank von Helvete on vox.
Want to see again: The Hives. Only saw them once. One of the best live acts I’ve ever seen.
Typo: Obviously meant “Sweet Child of Mine” was released in 1988, not 89.
First Concert – Violent Femmes, The Pogues, and Mojo Nixon & Skid Roper – Canada’s Wonderland, summer 1988
Last Concert – Thom Yorke, Toronto Scotiabank Arena, fall 2019
Best Concert – Tibetan Freedom Concert – New York, summer 1997 (Anyone and everyone who mattered in the 90s played that show).
Worst Concert – Tie between Oasis at Molson Amphitheatre, August 2002 (they couldn’t have looked more bored to be there), and Canada Day at Molson Park, 1994 (when several Hip fans shouted obscenities and threw water bottles at Daniel Lanois).
Loudest Concert – Beastie Boys – Toronto, Varsity Arena, November 1992
Act Seen the Most in Concert – U2 (Probably between 30 and 40 times)
Most Surprising Concert – The Building opening up for The War on Drugs – Massey Hall, fall 2018 (Anthony LaMarca played a great acoustic set, then stuck around to play with The War on Drugs. After the show he ran downstairs to sell albums at the merch table. That’s endurance.)
Next Concert – TBD
Wished I’d seen – R.E.M. Toronto, June 2008 (I had already seen them numerous times, but somehow I missed this show. Sadly, it would be there last time playing Toronto).
Want to See Again – Future Islands
First concert: Squeeze / Elvis Costello and the Attractions = Maple Leaf Gardens = Feb. 1981
Last concert: U2 = Vertigo Tour = Sept. 2005
Best concert = The Cult = Electric Tour = Exhibition Stadium = Row 7 (in front of Billy Duffy)
Worst concert = Edgefest 1999 Barrie, Ontario = rainstorm in the middle of the afternoon and missed Matthew Good
Loudest concert = Big Sugar = 1996 = York University
Act seen the most in concert = The Cult = 5 x
Most surprising concert = Blue Rodeo = Burlington, Vermont in March 199? = Club Toast = spoke with some of the guys before the show and told them we were from Toronto driving wherever we could during March Break.
Next concert = The Cult
Wished I’d seen = Bruce Springsteen
Want to see again = Big Sugar / Foo Fighters
First concert – Charley Pride. I was three. First concert I bought my own ticket for: Reba.
Last concert – Jim Cuddy Band at the Winspear in Edmonton.
Best concert – Corey Hart and Jim Cuddy pulled me on stage in Toronto, at Corey’s tour stop in June 2019. Bud Stage. I inspired them to collaborate so they serenaded me. I’m obligated to say this was my best show forevermore.
Worst concert – There is a venue here in Saskatoon that is almost always GA and is terrible with crowd control and security. Every show there is unpleasant.
Loudest concert – Ruthie Foster at the Bearcreek Festival in Grande Prairie in 2019. Surprising but true. So. Loud. Ouch.
Act seen the most in concert – Blue Rodeo
Most surprising concert – The Hunter Brothers opening for the Washboard Union at a PBR cabaret. I had never seen either live and they both blew me away. Incredibly talented, full of joy on stage, and highly interactive with the audience.
Next concert – I believe Jim Cuddy at JunoFest in Saskatoon
Wished I’d seen – Bruce Springsteen
Want to see again – Jim Cuddy, Corey Hart, the Washboard Union
First concert: Primus/Finger Eleven – October 26, 1997
Last concert: Pigface
Best concert: Ned’s Atomic Dustbin
Worst concert: My Bloody Valentine. Just way too fucking loud (and bright) to enjoy.
Loudest concert: see above. KMFDM was a close second in 2003 and I’ve worn earplugs to every show since.
Act seen the most in concert: The Pursuit of Happiness 5x
Most surprising concert: Hawksley Workman … free ticket, wasn’t a fan, great show
Next concert: Iron & Wine/Calexico tonight … again not a fan, but was looking for something to do while in Chicago
Wished I’d seen: Joy Division
Want to see again: Ned’s Atomic Dustbin & Therapy?