The Ones that Got Away
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 04:01AM The other day, Bring Back Glam! reader George posted a couple topic ideas for this site. I think both ideas he posted are phenomenal, but I especially enjoy the topic of the ones that got away. No, we're not talking about dates here - we're talking about concerts.
I think just about everyone has a concert or two they've skipped for whatever reason. Sometimes the concert comes and goes and that's about the end of it - and then other times, missing a certain show creates a lingering sense of longing that will never be satisfied.
A couple years ago, Motley Crue and Aerosmith teamed up for the Route of All Evil tour. You would think - considering Aerosmith and Motley Crue are my favorite bands - that I was in the front row for at least two of these shows. Nope, I never saw a single stop on this tour. When the Route of All Evil tour swept through Ohio, Heather was sick and my work schedule was switched upside down as a result. Please remember that in 2006, Heather and I were both working at the same television station. In fact, this is how we met. Anyway, Heather was an overnight producer and I was dayside. Anyone that has worked in a television station knows that the graveyard shift is the hardest to fill. When Heather was out for her operation, I got the overnight shift for six weeks. This meant no shows during that time...and yes, that included the Route of All Evil tour. I was happy to help Heather cover her shift - in fact, she would call in the middle of the night and we would chat quite a lot. I've always regretted not seeing the double headline bill of Aerosmith and Motley Crue. No, my life didn't end because I missed this tour - but I do think it had a profound impact on me as a music fan. If you've read this website for any number of days, you know I am fanatical about concerts. I try not to miss a single show. I wasn't as rigid about this in the past - but after missing Route of All Evil, it sort of dawned on me that life is finite and we better do as much as we can to live it up!
So...what are your shows that got away and why?
While you write, here's Aerosmith performing "Back in the Saddle" on the Route of All Evil tour.
Reader Comments (28)
Concerts that got away:
Queensryche doing all of Mindcrime 1 and 2, Suicidal Tendences, The Angels, WASP ( all because they were in Australia and I was in the US ). I am missing RTB for the same reason. I have tickets to two judas priest shows in AU and will probably be in the US, I am trying to plan a US trip to go to Metal Masters so I see them that way. All I need is someone to go with me......
2) Genesis, 2008. Never seen them, missed them again.
3) Bon Jovi, all tours. They never seem to come near me anymore.
4) Eagles, all tours. They did come to Richmond, but we were flat broke at the time.
5) Winger, 1987-1992, 2007-2008. I would have loved to see them in the 'glory days' of the 80's & 90's, but I was responsible for my grandmother, so I couldn't go then. 2007-2008, they've never come near home. Closest was about a 4-6 hour drive.
6) Police, all tours. They did come to Charlottesville, but see above note about being broke.
7) Night Ranger, all tours. Sigh.
This summer my area (Minnesota) isn't getting many good shows so there aren't any that are 'getting away.' I'd love to see Crue Fest, Def Lep/Idol, or even Poison with Bach but they're all skipping the Twin Cities. We are getting Scorpions with LA Guns at a smaller club but the ticket prices our too outrageous for me (the cheapest is $50).
I think I've seen just about every show I've wanted to, but then again I'd always like to go to Rocklahoma...
I'm a diehard KISS fan and back in '92/'93 they were touring for REVENGE. I got a call at work from my best friend (and he still is today) saying that he had a line on free tickets for the show that night in Worcester, MA.
Let me set the stage here: I was 20 and working at my first real full-time gig.....the money basically paid for college and my car. It wasn't a great paying job but it was full-time with good benefits. This was a job I wanted to keep until school was over so ducking out for a concert could have cost me my job.
The other thing was that I was lucky enough to catch the band on their club tour that came before the album's release and the proper tour. So I told my buddy that I couldn't go, I had to work.
I get a call from my friend the next day and he let me have it! He had heard from a guy we went to high school with and this guy's brother owned the catering company that was servicing the show. My buddy got in with a full access pass to the show! He was hanging out backstage and quickly met Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, at some buffet, and then watched the show from the VIP seats in the front! Basically this would have been my dream come true but I had no idea that was the deal. Had I known, you could have bet that I would have left work!
To this day, my friend never lets me forget, especially when I'm on the fence about going to a show or a game.
Steve
Heavy Metal Addiction
http://hardrockheavymetal.wordpress.com/
A lot of people were disappointed as Aeromsith played a lot of their older cuts that newer fans were unfamiliar with.
The sound was pretty bad from my seats, but I am sure it was good if your seats were in the middle.
I wont ever pay for tickets in section 900 again.
I recall that Tommy Lee didn't do a drum solo. That is something that is usually a staple at Crue shows. I was disappointed for the most part.
Well my friends dad missed a great show, the Beatles the second and the last time they were in Sweden, because he had to go somewere with his mom.
I missed Prince on the Purple Rain Tour. A friend of mine had 2nd row tickets and I was a big Prince fan at the time... I was dressed and ready to go... and waited... and waited... and waited... got stood up. I found out the next day that my friend had had a car accident.
It wasn't a concert but years ago I was staying with a friend and came home to find out that I'd JUST missed - by literally minutes - Stevie Ray Vaughn sitting in the living room.