Music / Live Music

The 9 Concerts That I Want to See in My Afterlife

Plethora of Pop June Writing Prompt

I really could talk about concerts all day. Is it ok with you if I call them shows? I was hooked after my first one and have not looked back. Naturally, I wrote an article about it. Here you go:

Since then, there have been hundreds of bands and artists and shows that I’ve seen. This has, however, slowed considerably in the past 7 years that I have lived abroad. It’s kind of one of the tradeoffs, I suppose. I lived in Colombia for 3 years and there were a good amount of shows, both there and in other parts of Latin America on offer. My next country was Tanzania, again for three years, and while there is plenty of music there, not too many acts from Europe and North America find their way to that part of the world. Now I’m in Jamaica and though there is great music going all the time, the same applies as in Tanzania.

As a result, my travels have often been in coordination with timing things so that I could see my favourite bands play shows in amazing places. However, as for everyone, Covid put a further damper on things (in all possible ways), but that appears to no longer be the case.

Live music is back. Travel is back. Covid remains, but curiously, doesn’t seem to be getting in the way of these things. We’ve moved on, I suppose.

For instance, this September alone, Placebo is playing in Mexico City, the Killers are in Miami, New Order and the Pet Shop Boys are playing together in New York. Seeing just one of these would satisfy my need for live music.

Alright, to the prompt then, which there are many ways to approach. I first wondered what would qualify as the afterlife. In mine, momentarily suspending my disbelief that I am not actually just wormfood and finding myself in a paradise in which anything is possible for as long as I want it to be, then Pierce McIntyre is right, it would probably be wall to wall end to end morning to night shows. All my favourites, all the time, whenever I want them to be onstage.

I’ve hedged my bets, although your guess is as good as mine as to what is going to happen when I finally shuffle off this mortal coil. You might believe differently. Let’s not argue.

This necessarily leads to an infinite number of qualifying questions. Here are three: Is it something I’ve already seen and want to see again? Is it something I’ve never seen, but still could, if the stars aligned? Is it something I never saw and never will get to see?

How about I give you four of the first, three of the next and two of the last and then maybe, if time permits, throw in one more of the shows I would most like to see in my afterlife.

Four of the best I’ve ever seen and would die to see them again:

Midnight Oil (Thunderbird Stadium / Vancouver BC / June 1991). The unbounded raw energy of Peter Garrett and this band playing songs that meant something and said it as hot and as urgently as they knew how. My first outdoor show and an absolute eyeopener in terms of the power of music to bring people together.

Social Distortion (Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver BC / July 2009). Ol’ Mike Ness was on fire that night, swearing and spitting and playing honest to God pure rock and roll the way it was supposed to be played.

Bruce Springsteen (Rogers Arena / Vancouver BC / November 2012). The Boss came onstage at 8pm sharp and by song three (Hungry Heart), he was crowd surfing. At 11:15pm, he finally went off stage, though it was clear he didn’t want to.

Placebo (Razzamatazz / Barcelona / August 2012). 2000 sweating people in a heaving club for the straight ahead angst laden rock hooks of Brian Molko and Stefan Olsdal. The energy between the crowd and the band was immense.

Three that I still want to see and still could:

Foo Fighters. Have long been the band haven’t seen but want to see most. Sadly, due to the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins, it seems this will have to wait. My money is on them keeping going. They probably need time, sure, and that music can be put on hold, but it can not be held down forever.

The Waterboys. I have loved this band since the 80s and the lifelong impact of Mike Scott’s songwriting and stage energy mean that I am going to have to look them up this summer and see if I can’t coordinate things in such a way.

Simple Minds. See above and substitute Jim Kerr’s name for Mike Scott’s.

Two I will never get to see:

The Smiths in their mid 80s prime. I’ve seen Morrissey on his own and I’ve seen Johnny Marr on his own. Both great shows. But to have them on stage again — not now anymore, but then — I think would be a right knees-up. It would be one of those elusive shows where I think I’d know every last word to every last song.

The Rolling Stones in their early 70s prime. Mick and Keef and Charlie and Bill and the other Mick being in the middle of an unparalleled 5 album run, being on the run themselves, being the kings of the world and just owning every minute of it. Not just the sounds of the times, but the times themselves.

The one music festival that I would organize in my afterlife:

Psychedelic Furs, Echo and the Bunnymen, INXS, Primal Scream, the Charlatans, James, New Order, Manic Street Preachers, Richard Ashcroft and finish it all off with Liam Gallagher headlining. Massive Attack will play the after party.

A little bit more on concerts:

I’ve tagged you here, and it may or may not be because you’ve written a lot about music, but it is definitely because I read you a lot and I am curious about your 9 entries, and I encourage you to write an article based on the prompt on Plethora of Pop!

Sara Burdick Araci Almeida Dana Leigh Lyons Jill Francis Kevin Alexander Paul Combs Frank T Bird Isabella Martin Natasha Nichole Lake David Todd McCarty Franzi Kinzel Victoria Suzanne Belcairn Natasha MH Philip Ogley James Pierce McIntyre Hogan Torah Bernard O’Leary Terry Barr Chris Zappa Billy Hartong Mike Lewis Emily Mark 🌬Mitch kt lee Andy Frye’s 90s BLOG EllenEastwood Mark Holburn Kathy Copeland Padden Patrick Metzger J.R. Flaherty🌱 JM Riordan Michael Centrone Brad GB Rogut Kalypso Skitz