What is wrong with people?!

I bought a couple of tickets to see Winger/Kansas tonight 3rd row. My son can't make it so I invited everyone I knew (all 6 of them) and they all passed.
 
The world is going to hell.
 
:) 

He said Winger, HEEHEE

Roger Waters is coming to Portland next month.  Tickets are $125-$150.  My friend wants to go so I may, but I can buy a LOT of albums for that much dosh!

My son is taking my X to a fancy smancy restaurant with a private chef. He's going to see Paul McCartney tonite. I don't want to be let down for Father's day but....

Next time James, include airfare and I'll be there for you.

Slugbaby
I'm not a fan of either Winger or Kansas, but I don't think I'd ever turn down free tickets to a concert.
You never quite know what you're going to discover when you see someone play live.  You may not like the music, but there might be a musical "trick" to take away from the show.  Or you may actually discover that you like them after all.
 
In 1988, I HATED Bryan Ferry ("lame synth crap"...).  I was offered a free ticket and had nothing to do that night, so I went.  I was in awe, and by the end of the show I was a huge fan.  He's now one of my biggest influences.  If I'd turned down the ticket, I'd have missed out on one of my favourite bands.
 

 
I went see Michael Jackson once having already turned down the offer to go with a friend because I had no good answer to the question.."why, what else are you going to be doing?"  I was also invited to bring my girlfriend along. It was the second to last night of the "Bad" tour.
 
Arriving at the venue after a 3 hour drive my "friend" then dropped the bombshell that he didn't actually have any tickets, so we ended up buying some from nefarious looking characters in the car park for 3 times the face value. Needless to say I wasn't a particularly happy bunny at this point, especially as I had to spring for two, so by now I'd spent a considerable amount on something that I didn't even want to go to, but trying to be cool about it 'cos at least the girl was impressed.
 
By the end of the show I was all for driving straight to the next venue a further 200 miles away to see if we could score some tickets for the final show the following night. Say what you like about the guy and I've said a few of those things myself, but he knew how to put on a show.
 
Fast forward to the next tour and same friend asked the same question. I said I would go, but only if we got tickets in advance this time at the right price. He said he already had them and because of what happened last time he gave me two and wouldn't take any money. As it turned out, neither he or I could go in the end. As I hadn't paid for the tickets it didn't seem right to sell them and profit from a gift, so I decided to just give them to someone else. 
 
Except I couldn't.
 
WTF ? MJ was still a big draw in those days. I even offered them to people I didn't really like that much that had told me on more than one occasion that they wished that they could go and see him. It was also a Saturday show, so the people in question didn't even have to worry about getting time off work. No dice.
 
I even got hold of the local radio station who put out several announcements on air at peak times that these were genuine tickets and free to the first caller. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Many people forget how incredible live gigs actually are. They are comparing to the records all the time which is not a good thing to do. The live shows are usually pretty spectacular in comparison. MJ would have been unbelievable live I am sure as are many other bands. 
 
I got tickets once to see Glenn Campbell many years ago because someone had them spare and gave them way. I was not a fan and went reluctantly.  I am came out a total covert, my god Campbell live was something else. He played guitar for about 20 minutes before he opened his mouth.  I must admit I do like Wichita Lineman too as a song.  They did a 15 minute intro live before he sang the first line! It reduced me to tears. 
 
Same thing happened to me with Emmy Lou Harris as well. She knocked my socks off too. The Buddy Rich big band was another gig I don't think I will ever forget either.  Last gig I saw recently was Frank Gambale's Soulmine band. Now the CD's are excellent and very well produced etc but live they were something else. He took it way past the CD. They all stretched way out past the albums. There was an energy on the stage that was just amazing. 
 
At the end of 2014 I saw Tangerine Dream live too and could not believe it either.  As a lover of electronic music and that band in particular I just had to go as they came to Melbourne Australia. The sound live was over the top but the playing live was something else. Lots of live playing not as much sequencing as you would expect either. 
 
So James I have heard that Roger Waters live is something else as well. I don't think you will be disappointed!! I have been listening to Endless River a lot too lately and just love it. It is a very beautiful CD.  Gilmour has out done himself on this I reckon.  I wish those two had worked it out. They should have recorded that album together and done more live gigs before Richard passed away. Floyd is still exceptional in my opinion and no other band actually sounds like them either.
 
And to Beeps you just keep on loving Micheal because he was an incredible talent. I have just finished reading the latest book on him and the level of input and detail he put into his music was over the top. The This is It video is pretty awesome. That band is pretty awesome too.

Great story Jeff, thank you! :)

I agree sharke. Live theatre is something to experience if only once (but I'll bet most will go again). I find concerts are the same way. I have been told by theatre geeks that it is a collective energy that takes hold of the audience and makes each performance unique. Even with summer stock or community theatre, every audience is different.
 
I can say the only live band concert that changed my mind was Huey Lewis. I didn't really care for them but it was a job. I was a fan afterward though because they were very tight and, while they had a good sound and light show, they didn't simply rely on a bunch of effects. Maybe a little egotistic but they were a good honest band.
 
Then there was AC/DC on the Midnight Special and green windowpane. But, I digress...

Along the line of Jeff's comment above, Stevie Wonder was a surprise concert for me. This was in the mid-70's and a friend asked me if I wanted to go see Stevie perform at the college we were attending. I was well aware of the boy wonder, but never considered ever going to see him in concert. I thought, why not. See someone different for a change. Heck, the guy was a legend already. Let's go for it. Blew me away. Great concert. A great memory moment.
 

craigb
Roger Waters is coming to Portland next month.  Tickets are $125-$150.  My friend wants to go so I may, but I can buy a LOT of albums for that much dosh!

he will because he gets to spend time with Paul Allen, a massive fan of PF and RW ... and I think someone even wrote, that even if only 5 tickets sold, Roger would play here for Paul!

KenB123

DrLumen
I can say the only live band concert that changed my mind was Huey Lewis. I didn't really care for them but it was a job. I was a fan afterward though because they were very tight and, while they had a good sound and light show, they didn't simply rely on a bunch of effects. Maybe a little egotistic but they were a good honest band.

+1
 
I picked up a Huey Lewis 'Live' DVD some years back at an estate sale. Yea, they are a tight band. Really good. Excellent players. Never saw them live though.

In the late 80's, I saw them live and was very impressed with their sound and professionalism. Huey Lewis wasn't really (at the time) my cuppa tea, but I took a girl to the show and was trying to date her.......at least the show was good.

I have a buddy that gets seats by the mixing board at Red Rocks, 7th row center. He usually calls a few hours before a show and mostly for bands that I haven't heard of. Saturday night I went to this show:
 
Lettuce have announced the return of their 2nd annual Rage Rocks show to the historic Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Saturday, May 13. The show will once again feature a headlining set by the funk powerhouse who will be joined onstage by special guests Ghostface Killah, George Porter Jr., John Scofield, Marcus King & Cyril Neville. The lineup will also feature performances by Turkuaz, The Russ Liquid Test and J Rocc (of the Beat Junkies), with more to be announced!

Known for their incendiary live shows, extensive touring, die-hard fans, and massive two-decade career, Lettuce brings forth a new vitality to classic funk music. Comprised of a super-group of stellar musicians – Drummer Adam Deitch, guitarists Adam Smirnoff and Eric Krasno, bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes, keyboardist Neal Evans, keyboardist and vocalist Nigel Hall, saxophonist Ryan Zoidis, and trumpet player Eric Bloom—the band continues to earn their name as a can’t-miss live act.

The band is currently on the second leg of their ‘Mt. Crushmore’ headlining tour. The tour celebrates the release of the band’s new EP entitled Mt. Crushmore, out now.
 
I was completely blown away. The opener was Turkuaz, they were awesome as well. It pays to keep an open mind, especially when it comes to music.
 
Rocky
 
 

smallstonefan
... 
Roger waters is next Friday in Kansas City. My wife and I are going to it - it's the opening show for this tour. Pink Floyd is my favorite band, so I snagged 3rd row for that one too. Man I can't wait!
 
...

The shows to catch and watch, are the really early stuff that ended up on bootlegs ... there are not many live show DVD's that have been released of that time, but a couple of them are really good ... the "Live in Pompeii" is a must have DVD ... as it is really nice and well done, even though the cut up stuff is not necessary, and takes away from the open air concert in my book.
 
PF, was an incredible show way back when in the early 70's when they were one of the first bands to do the "quadraphonic sound", and their stage shows were an experience, already, and complete with sound effects flying all around you, it became an "experience", which was MILKED to the max with "The Wall" and that was that ... 
 
If you have the chance, read the review of Roger's The Wall, on my website (Music Reviews Section), and mine is mostly a comparison of the original with Roger's ... the original was more "personal" ... and the new version, and Roger these days ... is too political and opinionated to be more interesting and special as an "experience" ... I'm waiting for him to have a bomb in one of his songs now ... and I'm sure he will rip into something or other! Of course, he's had bombs in his songs before ... so not really a new one!