white poison industries

I’ve been thinking about concerts I’ve been to and started to rank them in order, from greatest to worst. Then, I realized that a few that are within my Top 5 were really all my favorites, so I thought I’d share.

The following are in no specific order, they are just my Top 5 favorite concerts I’ve ever seen. (As a side note, unless $trick9 & The Truth played a venue with a mirror, I can’t count any of our shows, which would all fit within my Top 5, if that was even possible. Impossible and unfair, thus our shows are left out.)

The Roots @ 80/35

80/35 was amazing…well, at least The Roots. I spend all day Saturday wandering around checking out local bands. (Brother Trucker’s set and North of Grand’s set was amazing too, so props to both bands.) For me, The Roots are the equivalent of the Grateful Dead…if I could just uproot and follow them around the world, I would, in a heartbeat. No questions asked.

I’m going to put it this way, The Roots’ set was magical. I’ve rarely seen a group of musicians play with so much passion. I loved the Drive-By Truckers, but it felt like their set was just another on another date and they were almost home. The Roots’ set was almost like that was what they woke up that day to do.

I think the grin on my face didn’t change for the entire set and I danced (rare!) the entire time. But, the dancing could have been due to a contact high from the hippies that were just a few blankets to our left side.

I’m planning on going to see The Roots this summer. I don’t really care where or when or how much I have to pay. In fact, this might become a pilgrimage for me, once a year to go see The Roots. Questo, if you’re reading this (which, obviously the chances are really good as you’re a media connoisseur), y’all need to get your summer to roll through Colorado or something. Duke’s gotta dance again!

Tool @ The Mid-America Center

It should surprise no one that Duke loves a little metal. And of all the metal bands out there for Duke to love, Tool is Numero Uno!

I actually joined the Tool fan club just so I could get the special pre-sale tickets to the show.

So, Nine and I make the drive out to Council Bluffs early (Duke was not going to miss a thing) and were maybe 45 minutes early for the opening act. We were arms reach from the stage.

Now, here is the thing you’ve got to realize. Even though Duke is a fun guy, he hates two things…large crowds and rural bumpkin tweakers. And both were in sure supply at said show.

After a short-lived fist fight, in which a fat kid should have probably gone to the hospital, Duke made his way to the back of the floor and enjoyed maybe the best light show ever made. I believe Tool put Pink Floyd to shame on this night

Morris Day & The Time @ The Flamingo in Las Vegas

Who brings the funk better than Morris Day & The Time? No one.

This show was a complete fluke. On a regularly scheduled sabbatical to the Vegas strip, the lady and I found ourselves flipping through an attractions book.

Lady – “What’s going on tonight? Any shows we should see?”

Duke – “What the…? Do you remember that funk band, The Time? They’re playing at the Flamingo.”

Lady – “Get the tickets.”

And so it was that I found myself watching one of the world’s finest funk bands tear up the stage in Las Vegas for a special one-night only appearance. If you ever wondered where my fat-guy-in-a-suit-sweating-profusely-on-stage-playing-bass shtick comes from, look no further than The Time.

Actually, you need to go find yourself some of The Time’s music. Not, like, right this second, but maybe a little later. Do it! As a complete side note, Morris Day has a crazy-ass rider. I mean, real crazy. I found it while searching for tickets. Who needs that much milk?

The Nadas in Austin, TX

I’ve seen countless Nadas shows. I’ve seen many shows that I was too far into the bottle to remember. I’ve seen shows that I was stone sober for. (Let’s put it this way) I’ve seen a lot of Nadas shows.

My all-time favorite show was in Austin, TX. The Nadas played a little joint down in the college drag. The Nadas were in rare form that night and Jeff Banks joined them on stage. If you don’t know Jeff Banks, he’s a smokin’ blues rock player who’s in Austin currently. Later that night, Tony B sat down at a piano at a dueling piano bar and brought the crowd to its knees with a very well-timed Journey cover.

CSN (Crosby, Stills & Nash) @ The Iowa State Fairgrounds

I realize I’m across the spectrum on these, but I think they showcase the diverse tastes in my music. CSN was historic, both for the entertainment world and for me. I grew up on stuff like CSN, so it was a rite of passing for me to see them at the Fairgrounds. The show itself was probably shadowed by the fact that I was seeing CSN. And, to be quite honest, I was full of stuff on a stick, so I was probably more or less ready for some folk music.

So, now, what was your favorite show you’ve seen?