The best NW concert you ever attended. Period.

[Sean_Sallier]

I had an equally good time at just about every show back in the day but that may have had more to do with the party favors.




If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me & have thought to please my ghost, forgive a sinner & wink your eye at some homely girl.

[djcraig]

Back in 84 I think it was, I got free tickets to see U2 at the LA Sports Arena. I wasn't a big fan at the time but since the ticks were free I thought, what the heck. Our seats were high up and far away on the opposite of the arena from the stage- not the worst seats in the house but not too far from them.

For some reason the sound was actually very good. The band sounded great and Bono's between song banter was clear and decipherable.

Still reminisce about when Bono invited someone from the audience to come up and play Edge's guitar. Edge then left the stage, followed by Bono and Adam Clayton. Finally, Larry Mullen laid his sticks aside and walked away too leaving this kid up there playing guitar by himself in front of a throng of 15,000 or so!

Who knows if this audience member was a plant that they used every night for this. I've heard the Alarm used to do the same thing with a ringer in the audience. So perhaps a bit of a parlour trick but still fun to watch.

Anyway, U2 got the entire arena involved in the concert. At one point, Bono grabbed powerful stage lighting and used it to highlight one section of the place at a time so everyone got their moment in the spotlight- each audience segment jumping to their feet and seemingly screaming louder than the one before.

Seen them a couple time since but nothing can compare to the first time.


<a href="http://www.djcraig.net/los_angeles_dj">DJ Craig</a>

[TerryMc]

The Knack. Saw them in 2002 and actually got to hang out with them after the show. Had waited 23 years to see them, and it was well worth it. One of the few bands I can say that sounds exactly live like they do in studio!

[Retro_NRG]

[quote][i]Originally posted by djcraig[/i]
<br>Back in 84 I think it was, I got free tickets to see U2 at the LA Sports Arena. I wasn't a big fan at the time but since the ticks were free I thought, what the heck. Our seats were high up and far away on the opposite of the arena from the stage- not the worst seats in the house but not too far from them.[/quote]
I have to say that they are masterful arena performers.

Only saw them once during their '87 Joshua Tree Tour @The Nassau Coliseum

Never thought I'd score tickets for the show since they were (then) the hottest show in town. Somehow, managed to get side stage seats from TicketSheister (Section 201- I think) which turned out to be perfect for this performance.

The stage was set up to run from each side of the arena which Bono used to full effect, including the spotlight bit. (Much to our delight[8D])

That show was definitely up there..

<MARQUEE><h5>Moving @The Speed of Life</h5></MARQUEE>

[Max Murdoc]

Kraftwerk (1981?) Cleveland Ohio...hands down.

Right up against the stage. Ralf handed me his hand held custom built playing device (looked like a pocket calculator) during the song "Pocket Calculator" and I got to play the little piece right after the line "When I press a special key, it plays a little melody" (forgive me if the lyrics aren't quite right). "Freakin' awesome" as my son would say.

[glokstadt]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Max Murdoc[/i]
<br>Kraftwerk (1981?) Cleveland Ohio...hands down.

Right up against the stage. Ralf handed me his hand held custom built playing device (looked like a pocket calculator) during the song "Pocket Calculator" and I got to play the little piece right after the line "When I press a special key, it plays a little melody" (forgive me if the lyrics aren't quite right). "Freakin' awesome" as my son would say.
[/quote]

That is the coolest by far, so far...



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[DougMash]

ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS doing the "Spinning Songbook" at the Broadway Theatre 1985. Penn & Teller were the MC's. Audience members spun a wheel of like 30 songs and got to dance/play tamborine/etc. They had to play "Less Than Zero" four times (in different ways)thanks to it coming up on the wheel repeatedly.

SQUEEZE at Record World in the Roosevelt Field Mall 1988. They got the crowd doing three part harmonies (in a mall record store at 1PM on a Tuesday).

NEW ORDER at Club 1018, 1986. Got to see them from 15 feet away in a club, despite perfomance artist/opening act Karen Finley doing her best to scare my girlfriend away from the primo spot we were in. Sam the New Order/Echo/GLJ show twice too, that was a great triple bill!

PAUL WELLER at Tower Records 1991-ish. His first time back in the US in ages, and he did a free show for 300 people!

HOODOO GURUS/LOU REED. WLIR-FM Non-conformal Ball 1986. With dozens of New Wave stars in the audience (I spilled my drink on Dee Dee Ramone), it was a great night. They did a baloon drop during the Hoodoo's opening "Like Wow, Wipeout" and the baloons being popped worked perfectly with the song.

MIDNIGHT OIL "Guerilla Action" show on 5th Ave. in front of the Exxon Building after the Valdez oil spill. They were playing on top of a flatbed truck, much to the confusion of passing Japanese Tourists in tour busses! Great cover of "Instant Karma."

God, there's so many great memories from 15-25 years ago...wish there were more since then!

[Mechi]

New Order last's big show ever (unless they come back), Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 2006. Everybody here must know the tale... since I don't get tired of telling it. Front row, right in front from where Bernard was standing.
And The Police's reunion show yesterday. Very close too (though not as close as in New Order). But it was great!! Great!!! I still hear the drums in my head and Sting singing.
U2 was also really good.

http://www.fotolog.com/mechi2mechi

[rhodesawilliams]

Book of Love...October 1986 at Sil's Ivy Tower in Provo, Utah. The blew the fuses and waited 35 minutes to go on again and then played an extra set. Hung out backstage with them and, I am shamed to mention, made out with the lead singer, <gulp> she wasn't that cute, but I was young.

Also Dead or Alive in November of 1986 playing at The Saint in NYC. I was visiting a friend for Thanksgiving and she took me to the most tripping, awesome venue that I've been to to this day. Did anyone else hear/go to The Saint?

Fond memories, mostly.

Rhodes

[DougMash]

Funny, the Saint was an incredible club with the planetarium the dance floor. What the heck ever happened to it?

Dead or Alive on the other hand was possibly the worst show I ever saw "live" though. At Malibu on Long Island they went on at 2AM on a weeknight, and Pete Burns lip synched, flipped us the bird and spent more time with his (thonged) ass in our face than facing us, then left after about 20 minutes. The worst part was I was answering phones at show sponsor WLIR-FM the next morning at 9AM and had to field irate calls from those who felt ripped off of $20 (high for 1987) for the half-assed show DOA put on.

[WoodlandParkPunk]

B-52's and REM in Athens GA at the 688 Club. think it was the winter of 83'.

"You just pick a chord, go twang, and you've got music." ~ Sid Vicious

[WoodlandParkPunk]

[quote]Originally posted by NuWaveRx
[br]No special mentions or lists. Just the artist/band, the venue, and the date. Descriptions of the concert are, of course, welcome[:)]

For me: A Flock of Seagulls on the Listen Tour. 1982 in Denver, CO.
My first real NW concert. The Fixx opened and both put on a fantastic show.

And you?[?]

Was this show at the Rainbow Music Hall???
[/quote]

"You just pick a chord, go twang, and you've got music." ~ Sid Vicious

[rhodesawilliams]

[quote][i]Originally posted by DougMash[/i]
<br>Funny, the Saint was an incredible club with the planetarium the dance floor. What the heck ever happened to it?

Here is a link to info all about The Saint.

http://www.saintdisco.com/

It was shut down like most great 80's Nightclubs. I also saw the Communards play there.

Happy Holidays.

RW

[mhochuli]

[quote][i]Originally posted by WoodlandParkPunk[/i]
<br>B-52's and REM in Athens GA at the 688 Club. think it was the winter of 83'.

"You just pick a chord, go twang, and you've got music." ~ Sid Vicious
[/quote]

Hey WPP! How's sunny Arizona? Did you mean you saw them both in Athens and 688 or just 688 in Atlanta? I was at that show at 688 - small world!!!

[genxfiles]

I was lucky enough to see the Stiffs Live tour way back when! Ian Dury, Costello, Nick Lowe, Wreckless Eric.....

Yeah baby!