Today's story on OnMilwaukee.com about crazy ticket-buying experiences made me think about concert-going, something I've been doing for a little less than 3/4 of my life now.
I've been to so many shows that I can't possibly hope to remember all of them -- and that's not even counting gigs by "local" bands. I couldn't even tell you what my first one was. I've been to so many, they mostly blur into one.
There were great ones that stand out -- from The Jam at the Palladium in New York City to The Smiths at the Aragon in Chicago on the first night of their first proper American tour -- and ones I wonder how I got talked into going to (The Human League and Blue Angel at the Palladium, Screamin' Blue Messiahs, The Primitives and Savage Republic at The Metro ... not together of course -- an interminable Tom Petty show at Summerfest).
I saw Stereophonics' original line-up at the Double Door, but also the latest, too-metal-for-me version at Summerfest -- and a couple other versions in Chicago and Milan in the interim. I saw Idlewild at the Cactus and they were terrible, bless their hearts (I do love them), and once in Chicago with Placebo, who were brilliant that night and on the others I've witnessed them in action.
I've seen more reggae shows than perhaps anyone besides Sly Dunbar (I know, I exaggerate for effect). I've seen King Sunny Ade, Fela Kuti, The Bhundu Boys, The Mahotella Queens.
I've seen jazz gigs at Ronnie Scott's in London and at Joe Segal's equally legendary Jazz Showcase in the Blackstone and its "new" location too: Kenny Burrell, Milt Jackson, Jimmy Smith, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Stanley Turrentine.
I've seen the hardcore Beastie Boys (with The Necros!), the hip-hop Beasties (remember the giant phallus and the cage dancers?!) and even the instrument-playing Meters-y Beasties (at The Rave), too. For pete's sake, I've seen Kronos Quartet, Pavarotti and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and the occasional folkie like Kate Rusby, whose voice sends shivers.
Odd, then, that I don't really have any great ticket stories, but boy I could tell you lots of useless information about everything from Modern English, The Birthday Party, The Cure and The (English) Beat at The Ritz and The Specials (with The GoGos!) at the Pier in 1981 to Echo & the Bunnymen at Milwaukee's Uptown Theater in 1985 to U2 and the Pixies in Chicago in 1992 to The Candyskins in Manchester and Middlesborough, England in '97 to Neko Case in three cities and a couple different band configurations (Corn Sisters!) a few years later.
In the end, the only thing that matters to me is that I've experienced the thrill of all kinds of live music in a lot of different settings. And, really, even if all of the other shows I've ever seen had sucked, it would still have all been worth it for the times I've stood nearly face to face with Paul Weller, Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler. While I've had lots of favorites over the years, no one has ever made a sound as thrilling as The Jam did. My being 15 probably didn't hurt, either.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
