Most of this is from the previous thread but I did add a few more shows to the original post:
I've been to many shows & it's really tough to pick a favorite. It's easy for me to say my favorite was my first show ever which was Kiss in 1978 just because it changed my life & helped mold me into Rock & Roll addict I am today.The Concert ticket,2 T-shirts(one was a bootleg shirt I pad 3 bucks for outside), a concert poster,& a tour book all cost me a whopping $22.50!!! The show was explosive & I will always remember every detail of it. The Rockets featuring ex Detroit Wheels Jim McCarty & Johnny Bee Badanjek opened the show
...but was that the best concert I seen????? I don't know.
also near the top would be:
The Who December 4,1979 was a great show & was the day after their tragedy in Cincinati.I had to explain to my parents that the riot in Cinci was caused because tickets were General admission & the Buffalo show was reserved seats. They were hesitant but let me go & I'm glad they did.I was a big fan of the Who & a few months before the show I seen the movie the Kids are Alright at a local movie house & had been primed for the concert.They played everything I expected (even Boris the Spider!) & their stage show was spectacular with lasers.
David Bowie with Rough Trade Toronto September 4th 1983: Bowie had a spectacular show this night & played about 25 tunes spanning his career but what stole the show was when former Spider From Mars guitarist came out & jammed "Jean Genie" for an encore
Alice Cooper Ace Frehley Faster Pussycat Buffalo November 12,1987 : Alice had plenty of blood & gore & cranked out a near perfect setlist with the highlight of the show being a 4 song theatrical medley of "Chop Chop Chop","Gail","Roses on White Lace", & "Only woman Bleed" in which Alice slit the throat of a Prostitute which led to his capture & execution by the Gallows during "Killer".Having Ace Frehley open made the show even more incredible as he rocked his way through songs from his solo career away from Kiss along w/ a couple of Kiss tunes(Cold Gin, Rocket Ride, & Shock Me)
Lou Reed Buffalo September 1986 : Lou was phenominal & played about 2 1/2 hours!
Joan Jett & Chuck Berry 1987: Another of my favorites shows Chuck Berry opened & was amazing. Myself & about 15 other people were brought up onstage during "Roll Over Beethoven". Joan put on a phenominal show as well but I've seen her 11 times & have never been disappointed.Besides covering "Star Star" she played the Stooges "I Wanna Be Your Dog" for an encore
The Kinks 1982/'83 in Buffalo: The Kinks were unbelievable at this show. Their date was sandwiched between shows by The Stones, The Who, & the Grateful Dead which meant that the attendence for the Kinks was kind of poor that night.Davies said that it would be a show that would be remembered & it was as the band played 11 encores including a version of Louie Louie with the houselights on.
Other mentions: Rush & Max Webster 1980,AC/DC w/ Pat Travers 1979,Iggy Pop 1991,The Ramones & Forgotten Rebels 1991, Iron maiden,Dio, & Motorhead 2003, Journey & Sweet 1979, Aerosmith & AC/DC 1978, & Johnny Thunders with Green Jello February 25,1986
I'm also going to add a full review I wrote at the time of a wild show I seen in 2006:
Little Steven’s Underground Garage Tour featuring : the NY Dolls,the Supersuckers,the Chesterfield Kings,the Charms,& the NY Vaults at the Town Ballroom Buffalo,NY 11/18/06
As I walked into the Town Ballroom the first thing I did was check the year on my ticket stub. The ticket said 11/18/2006 but the Town Ballroom told me it was 1966.As I entered, “Glad All Over” by the Dave Clark 5 blared over the P.A .as colorful psychedelic spot lights in shapes of flowers shined on the empty stage in the dark room. Other hits from the 60’s such as “Dead Man’s Curve” by Jan & Dean continued to play when suddenly a curtain dropped down in front of the stage. Dry ice filled the stage as “Devil With The Blue Dress” played over the sound system & out through the center of the curtain came 3 attractive young Go Go dancers wearing bikini’s & GoGo Boots. They danced to a couple songs & then the first of 5 bands hit the stage. Each city on the tour featured a local band that won AT & T’s Blue Room Battle of the Bands. The Buffalo show featured a band from Rochester called the NY Vaults which was led by 6’6” singer “Too Tall Paul” Vezelis.The band was in the same vein as the MC5,Black Crowes, Stooges,& a bit of the Rockets. They rocked their way through about a 20 minute set of originals closing with a fast paced rocker called “Detroit Muscle” in which the dancers returned & continued dancing to more groovy tunes as the curtain dropped.
The next band up was the Charms from Boston led by lead singer/guitarist Elle Vee whose sweet screeching vocals wrapped around garage punk rhythms & heavy guitar riffs. The band’s most recent full time addition, Ethan Jon Kreitzer rocked his keyboard like no one I’ve ever witnessed & lead guitarist Joe Wizda’s 70’s guitar hero style complemented every tune. The Charms tunes & style really stood out for me especially on the songs “Pussycat” & “Top Down”. They played a tune from an upcoming cd to be released on Valentines Day that had a sound similar to the Romantics only more in your face kick ass R & R. The song was a tribute to the Romantics & was called”So Romantic”. Once again the dancers came out during this last song .
The Chesterfield Kings hit the stage next opening with “I’m Not Talking” from their ‘Let’s Go Get Stoned’ album(which was originally recorded by the Yardbirds).Singer Greg Prevost kept the crowd entertained with his high hair, high kicks,& constant walks through the audience. Prevost is a show in himself & has to be witnessed live.The Kings led by Prevost & bassist Andy Babiuk have a high energy sound which shows influences of early Stones, Johnny Thunders, Stooges, Yardbirds, & the Dolls. They actually recorded a single with Johnny Thunders(“Critics Choice”)back in the 80’s & one of the songs they played on this night called “Johnny Volume” is a tribute to Johnny as it references many song titles similar to the Lords of the New Church song “Little Boys Playing With Dolls”.
The Supersuckers were the final opening act & got a great response from the crowd as they kicked everyone’s ass with their no frills balls out R & R in the same vein as Social Distortion. Singer/guitarist Eddie Spaghetti started the band in ’88 & has pretty much been on the road since then. Spaghetti donned a cowboy hat, shades,& cowboy boots & from where I was standing, with his thick black moustache & sideburns he reminded me a bit of Jason Lee’s character on ‘My Name Is Earl’. The highlight of their set was the song “Pretty ****ed Up” off their ‘Mother****ers Must Be Trippin’album.Out came the dancing girls & now it was time for the Dolls.
As the dancers finished up the familiar cry of David Johansen saying “When I say I’m in love, you best believe I’m in love LUV!!”blared out & the band,led by the only 2 original members that are alive, David Johansen & guitarist Sylvain Sylvain launched into the classic ”Looking For a Kiss” off their 1st album. With no hesitation they rocked right into “Puss ‘n’ Boots” off the ‘Too Much, Too Soon’ record. Ex Hanoi Rocks bassist led the band into the 1st cut off their latest cd “We’re All In Love” as Johansen challenged the audience to join in at the chorus. Sylvain Sylvain & lead guitarist Steve Conte were amazing jamming together on Bo Diddley’s “Pills”(which was also on the Dolls debut album)as David Jo blew his harp as only he can. Johansen asked the crowd if they could not think about their religious beliefs for the next 3mins & 50 secs as they cranked out “Dancing On the Lip of a Volcano”. Sylvain talked briefly about originally being from Buffalo but moved when he was a child. Sylvain emotionally sang Johnny Thunder’s “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory” & even added Johnny’s name in the lyrics. During the chorus Johansen led into “Lonely Planet Boy”. The Dolls played 13 songs with 6 being off their latest CD ’One Day It Will Please Us to Remember this’. The 1st single off the album ”Dance Like a Monkey” went over well with the crowd as Johansen & Sylvain clowned around with jungle sounds. ”Trash” ripped the crowd apart & just when one could catch their breath guitarist Steve Conte launched into “Jet Boy” which had an amazing exchange of guitar solos between he & Sylvain. The crowd demanded an encore which was met by the Dolls as they revved up their classic anthem “Personality Crisis”. The band came out for one more encore which was their latest single ”Gotta Get Away From Tommy” .After the show the Dolls signed their latest CD for anyone that purchased it.
Overall it was a great show & the Dolls did not seem like a band living on it’s past but a band still putting out new product hungry for success. Just seeing how happy & emotional Sylvain Sylvain was onstage & how Kick ass David Johansen & the rest of the band were leads me to believe they still have a lot yet to offer the world of Rock & Roll.
Bucky
