Let the music play - new Concert Reviews/Experiences

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Ope3

Ope3

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With shows becoming a thing again, thought maybe we could get a thread going for show reviews in whatever this new normal is (for now).

My first show since December 2019 (Jayhawks at 1st Ave) was Run Westy Run at the Turf Club last Friday. Great throwback to the 90s, and a fun time, just as good as they were back in the day. Hard to describe their style as it's quite a blend of blues/rock/funk/folk.

It was nice to be around people again. A few of the attendees acted as though it was though it was their first show ever, but no matter all good. Thinking about it, I am sure this was my longest gap between shows since 1984, which was probably rarely longer than 3 months and usually when the TC concert calendar annually thin from Jan-Feb.

Big ups on the remodeled Turf Club which sustained quite a bit of water damage from the riots last year. Acoustics are fantastic. Almost looks too clean. Give it time.
 

I just moved from MN to Denver last winter and look forward to my first Red Rocks experience next month when I go to the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert.
 

GopherVotary said:
I just moved from MN to Denver last winter and look forward to my first Red Rocks experience next month when I go to the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert.
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Red Rocks is a bucket list trip for me. Enjoy.
 




GopherVotary said:
Good advice, even if it’s a 38 Special song.
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LMAO - Opps.

I'm over 50, so I shall play early on set dementia card.

Have a great time - never saw a concert there, but went there a couple of times - spent me first two years at DU.
 

Ope3 said:
With shows becoming a thing again, thought maybe we could get a thread going for show reviews in whatever this new normal is (for now).

My first show since December 2019 (Jayhawks at 1st Ave) was Run Westy Run at the Turf Club last Friday. Great throwback to the 90s, and a fun time, just as good as they were back in the day. Hard to describe their style as it's quite a blend of blues/rock/funk/folk.

It was nice to be around people again. A few of the attendees acted as though it was though it was their first show ever, but no matter all good. Thinking about it, I am sure this was my longest gap between shows since 1984, which was probably rarely longer than 3 months and usually when the TC concert calendar annually thin from Jan-Feb.

Big ups on the remodeled Turf Club which sustained quite a bit of water damage from the riots last year. Acoustics are fantastic. Almost looks too clean. Give it time.
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I thought shows would be a huge deal for me at this point. The last year and a half has taken it's toll though. I haven't gone to a single show yet. That includes missing some of my favorites including the Westies.

So yeah, I was all excited to get back to concert going but living and working in the middle of the unrest, the pandemic, the election and other things have just worn me down.
 

A guy in the music business told me the other day that he was told that First Ave will never go back to letting people buy tickets in person anymore. Only through whatever service they are aligned with. That means crazy ticket prices and lots and lots of fees. I understand jacking up prices for a while to recoup losses due to Covid but the service fees are ridiculous. First Ave is quickly becoming the Man.
 

tikited said:
A guy in the music business told me the other day that he was told that First Ave will never go back to letting people buy tickets in person anymore. Only through whatever service they are aligned with. That means crazy ticket prices and lots and lots of fees. I understand jacking up prices for a while to recoup losses due to Covid but the service fees are ridiculous. First Ave is quickly becoming the Man.
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It does suck about the fees, no doubt. So far for me, they have been tolerable as they use AXS which seems a few bucks cheaper than Ticketmaster. The 3 shows I have bought so far have ranged from $6-$8 bucks per ticket. Buying them in person at either their restaurant (The Depot) or the Electric Fetus, they were tacking on a $2 fee for all tix anyway.

Their app works slick as well. Maybe I can protest by purchasing 1 less beer than I would have previously.
 



tikited said:
A guy in the music business told me the other day that he was told that First Ave will never go back to letting people buy tickets in person anymore. Only through whatever service they are aligned with. That means crazy ticket prices and lots and lots of fees. I understand jacking up prices for a while to recoup losses due to Covid but the service fees are ridiculous. First Ave is quickly becoming the Man.
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Fees aren't even the worst part of the scam/racket of tickets.

There are a bunch of scam websites, setup to look like they're the official box office of whatever venue, to trick people into buying their overpriced ticket offers. And you're not even buying a ticket, you're buying a promise that they'll try to get you a ticket equivalent to what you wanted, but no guarantee.

Scams like these don't die until/unless the laws change to force them.


Great listen on this here: https://revealnews.org/podcast/the-ticket-trap/
 
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The Big Wu played in Rochester a couple weeks ago at our weekly street fest. They were a staple of my college years, so it was fun to see them again.
 

GopherVotary said:
I just moved from MN to Denver last winter and look forward to my first Red Rocks experience next month when I go to the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert.
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If you need a ride out to Red Rock, baby, you can drive my car.
 

Jayhawks at the Harriet Bandshell Thursday.

I'm planning on hitting the open practice with my boys tho.

Last shows I saw were Brandi Carlile at The Fillmore, Valentines Day 2020.
Saw G. Love and Special Sauce at First Ave. and hung out backstage with Garret afterwards. What an awesome dude.
 



tikited said:
A guy in the music business told me the other day that he was told that First Ave will never go back to letting people buy tickets in person anymore. Only through whatever service they are aligned with. That means crazy ticket prices and lots and lots of fees. I understand jacking up prices for a while to recoup losses due to Covid but the service fees are ridiculous. First Ave is quickly becoming the Man.
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It sucks. Wanted to go see Wolf Alice at The Fine Line in November but tickets sold out immediately on AXS and are now on the resale site asking $180 a piece. Just a total joke that these venues can't figure out a better way to sell tickets than through a site that awards hoarding and scalping.

That said...I've got a number of concerts upcoming. 311 and Chevelle in the next couple of months. Chuvrches in November. Manchester Orchestra next spring. And Rage Against The Machine next May I believe....nearly two years after it was originally scheduled. Deftones was supposed to be this next week....but was pushed back again....so I just took the refund this time. I'll buy tickets again, closer to the event date.

But I'm starting to worry with infection rates ramping up again. Hoping I won't have a handful of delayed concerts again.
 

stocker08 said:
It sucks. Wanted to go see Wolf Alice at The Fine Line in November but tickets sold out immediately on AXS and are now on the resale site asking $180 a piece. Just a total joke that these venues can't figure out a better way to sell tickets than through a site that awards hoarding and scalping.

That said...I've got a number of concerts upcoming. 311 and Chevelle in the next couple of months. Chuvrches in November. Manchester Orchestra next spring. And Rage Against The Machine next May I believe....nearly two years after it was originally scheduled. Deftones was supposed to be this next week....but was pushed back again....so I just took the refund this time. I'll buy tickets again, closer to the event date.

But I'm starting to worry with infection rates ramping up again. Hoping I won't have a handful of delayed concerts again.
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That explains why Dinosaur Jr. tickets seem to be $50 now instead of $30. That's before fee's added in. The whole thing sucks and I really thought First Ave. would be above all of this.
 

tikited said:
That explains why Dinosaur Jr. tickets seem to be $50 now instead of $30. That's before fee's added in. The whole thing sucks and I really thought First Ave. would be above all of this.
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I would have thought so too. I bought the Manchester Orchestra tickets almost immediately to avoid this.
 

tikited said:
That explains why Dinosaur Jr. tickets seem to be $50 now instead of $30. That's before fee's added in. The whole thing sucks and I really thought First Ave. would be above all of this.
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Dino Jr is one of the 3 concerts I referenced, when I bought them during the presale, with fees they were just under $39. Some of that I think would have been charged regardless, which is irritating as part of the "facility fee" err something or other.
 

My 2nd show was Steve Earle with the Dukes and Duchess at the Canterbury Park as part of the abbreviated season that usually gets put on at the Minnesota Zoo. While I hope this series eventually winds up back at the Zoo, this wasn't bad at all and was a great night.

Spent extra dough for VIP seats, and I thought it was well worth it, best seats in the house at a table with waitstaff service. Sound was just fine, but not as good as the amphitheater in Apple Valley. Thank goodness the weather cooperated. Free parking was a bonus and way better beer selection.

The show itself was fantastic in what I was preparing for an emotional night as it was the first time without fallen Duke Kelley Looney and since Steve's son, Justin Townes, passed away. It started with a solid set of fan favorites including I Feel Alright, Someday, Galway Girl, Guitar Town, Taneytown, & Copperhead Road. Hard Core Troubadour, one of my favorites, was also played though I can't remember if that was in the initial group of tunes.

He then moved on to at least 4 songs from Ghosts of West Virginia and then a few from his tribute album to JT. Really powerful version of Harlem River Blues. After that he moved on to some "chick songs" before closing it out, including covering Hendrix's Hey Joe and the Band's Rag Mama Rag.

He mentioned his next projects are a stage version of Tender Mercies and also a tribute album to Jerry Jeff Walker. Both of those are sound exciting, but I hope he does not go too long without putting together a collection of originals.
 

This past Saturday, I ventured out of state to Chicago for Sleater-Kinney/Wilco co-headlining at Pritzger Pav. Really great venue. It was the end of their tour and a return home for Wilco. A little bit shorter set due to the co-bill but a really solid show, especially the middle of the first set, At Least That's What You Said, Art of Almost, Via Chicago and Impossible Germany. They also closed with a flourish, Late Greats & Outtasite (Outta Mind).

Great energy, great venue and great weather (once the sun set). Only downside was really long beer lines. Maybe for the best, though being introduced to Revolution Anti Hero IPA, I am a fan.
 

tikited said:
That explains why Dinosaur Jr. tickets seem to be $50 now instead of $30. That's before fee's added in. The whole thing sucks and I really thought First Ave. would be above all of this.
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Dinosaur Jr has postponed the first leg of their tour including the First Ave Show due CoVid Delta spread.

No make-up yet announced, tickets sill valid.
 


We saw Dessa at Forager in Rochester last Friday, outside on their patio. Only about 100 tickets, so a very intimate show, which was cool. Dessa was great as always. Plus, we discovered that Dessa has a whiskey that's distilled at Rockfilter in southern MN, so picked up a bottle of that.

Saw Paula Poundstone yesterday at the civic center in Roch. Didn't know much about her before last night, but she was super funny.
 


Went to our first post-covid concert on Saturday night at the Mesa Amphitheater in Mesa, AZ. We saw Michael Franti who is my favorite reggae singer and is fantastic live. He works the crowd so well and this was a perfect venue for him. Beautiful weather, awesome concert and a reminder how music and sports are the two events that bring people together of all backgrounds and unifies for a great evening.

Go Michael Franti!!
 

I went to Ohana Fest this past Sat-Sun which is put on by Eddie Vedder and Kelly Slater at Doheny State Park, right on the beach in Dana Point, CA pretty spectacular setting with the stage facing Catalina Island.

Even though I was not familiar with many of the acts leading up to Vedder headlining on Sat and Pearl Jam on Sun, I enjoyed all the ones I saw especially Glen Hansard, Spoon and Brandi Carlile.

I had assumed Eddie's set was going to be solo/acoustic with Glen Hansard helping out a little bit, and that's how it started for 6 songs. He opened with Cat Stevens' Don't Be Shy and also dedicated Wishlist Norm MacDonald. Then he brought out his new side project band, the Earthlings which includes Hansard as well as Josh Klinghoffer and Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers plus a couple of others. Smith is fantastic, maniacal. They did songs from Flag Day, Into the Wild, a new album the group has coming out and covers of Townsends Give Blood, The Clash Should I Stay and NY Rockin' in the Free World.

The Pearl Jam set on Sunday was great, the new Gigaton songs sound awesome live. Bummer it was only 2 hours. Only drag of the weekend was waiting an hour+ for Ubers after the shows at the park. Even that wasn't terrible, we hung out at Carl's Jr chatting with fans in various states of mind until being picked up.

I skipped the Gophers/Bowling Green game for this SoCal trip. How did that turn out?
 

Saw 311 a few weekends back at the new Waite Park Amphitheater (The Ledge). Cool venue. Saw Chevelle in Mankato this past weekend. Have Chvrches and Wolf Alice in November. Manchester Orchestra next spring....and Rage Against the Machine in May I believe. Tool tickets for this spring go on sale tomorrow.
 

tikited said:
That explains why Dinosaur Jr. tickets seem to be $50 now instead of $30. That's before fee's added in. The whole thing sucks and I really thought First Ave. would be above all of this.
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In case you didn't hear, the Dino Jr show is now rescheduled for Sept 26, 2022. Falls on a Monday.
 

Ope3 said:
In case you didn't hear, the Dino Jr show is now rescheduled for Sept 26, 2022. Falls on a Monday.
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Oh. I didn't. Gives me time to save up for the ticket price lol.
Thank you.
 

Finally got back to a show, the Drive by Truckers at The Palace. Had a damn good time. They made a brilliant choice for an opening number. This song is about a friend who played 150 shows in the last year of his life before HIV killed him. "Can't die now, got a another show to do."

 

Back up to five upcoming concerts. Bought tickets to see MONO at the Turf Club on April 1st. MONO is a really cool instrumental band from Japan. Steve Albini has produced several of their albums. I haven't seen them live, but have heard that their live shows are great.



 

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