So if you know me, you know I am a total music junkie. Because of this fact, this list was one of the most difficult to make so far because its dang near impossible to narrow it down. It has also been one of the most fun because I got to go through my ticket book and remember a ton of shows I had long forgotten. Some shows made this list because of the sound quality or performance or energy and others because of the experience that came along with them; a great night with friends, a turning point in a relationship, crossing a long-timer off my list, the best drum solo I have ever seen, a chance encounter with the band, etc. The names listed are those who accompanied me. In chronological order...(Note 2011 & 2008. Particularly good years for me, live musically)
1. New Kids on the Block / Riverfront Coliseum / Cincinnati, OH / 1989
Rachel Farler Gill, Julie Milbauer Slusher & Sherri LeBlanc
Um...do I really need to say more. It was 1989. I had just turned 8 and my AWESOME mother took me to see 5 of the loves of my life. My first concert too. Life-changing.
2. Jimmy Buffett / Riverbend Music Center / Cincinnati, OH / 1997
Katie Phelps Bray & Rachel Farler Gill (and half the Hamilton High School graduating class of 1997)
Every year in high school, huge groups of us would make the trek from Hamilton down to Riverbend for Buffet. I wore a Peace Frogs t-shirt and cargo shorts. Ha! That particular year It had rained for weeks before and the entire lawn was a mud puddle. We did "mudslides" (think slip-n-slide made of mud) and drank draft beer and sang out loud and danced. Oh the good old days.
3. Dave Matthews Band / Riverbend Music Center / Cincinnati, OH / 1998
Rachel Farler Gill (probably along with half the Hamilton High School cheerleading squad and baseball team)
I have seen DMB more than I have seen any other band. From 1996 - 2000, I went twice a year. This year was the most memorable because of his 12 minute encore of the song Two Step. My favorite Dave Matthews song
4. DJ Keoki / Cincinnati Sports Plus / Cincinnati, OH / 1999
AJ Stiver & Nema Golshan
Keoki was my absolute favorite DJ at that time in my life. I was barely 18, my first year on my own and just loving my life. I met a man that night that made his eyebrows dance to the music. I never learned his name.
5. Bush with Moby / Millet Hall @ Miami University / Oxford, OH / 2000
Angie Moerlein
This was the culmination of a long time obsession with Gavin Rossdale and his band. He walked out into the stands that night and was just feet behind me and ang. I was stupified. I would like to say it was during the song Machinehead, but I honestly don't remember. Not that it matters. 10 years later at a ceramic shop I worked at in Beverly Hills, Gavin Rossdale casually sauntered in. I was as stupified and awestruck as I had been as a teen.
6. Hookahville / Buckeye Lake / Columbus, OH / 2000
Stacey Roeder Snow, Kenny Fleming & Jason Bruckman
I don't remember a single note of music from that weekend. I remember one last horrah with my very best friend, dancing and laughing and playing, before moving to California at the end of summer. Priceless.
7. The Bridge School Benefit / Shoreline Ampitheatre / Mountain View, CA / 2000
Crosby Stills Nash and Young
Dave Matthews Band
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Beck
Foo Fighters
And up-and-comers Tenga and Sara
Brent Imus & Andrew Thompson
I had only lived in California a month or so when my new friends took me to the majestic Shoreline to see this show. It was misty and cool that night but it didn't matter. Look at that line-up. The entire show was acoustic and it closed with Neil Young and Dave Matthews for the encore singing a duet of the Killer Cortez.
8. Les Claypool & the Fearless Flying Brigade / The Warfield / San Francisco, CA / 2001
Brent Imus & Andrew Thompson
We sat in the balcony doing things kids do. I zoned out on Les' shoes; high top Chuck Taylors that looked like clown shoes or flippers they were so large. He marched around the stage and with each stomp he feet grew larger and larger, at least in my mind.
9. The White Stripes / Music Hall / Cincinnati, OH / 2005
JR Joy
The only show I have ever seen at music hall and an "I must see them before I die" band in my book. Enough said.
10. Coldplay / Riverbend Music Center / Cincinnati, OH / 2005
JR Joy
It was a perfect summer night and we found a spot at the front of the lawn, stage left. Again, just another one of those really pleasant evening seeing a performance from a band I had always wanted to see.
11. The Constantines / Mad Hatter / Covington, KY / 2005
Solo
My first solo experience. I wanted to see them so badly and no one else cared. I sat at the Stand contemplating for an hour before Todd Hague talked me into just going alone. I did and had a blast. The sound guy felt bad for me because I was short and clearly couldn't see anything so he walked me over to the stage area and hoisted me up onto an amp on the side and I danced and watched from there the rest of the night. I knew that night that I would forever prefer going to shows alone on my own agenda and schedule and no one else's.
12. Kings of Leon / Bogarts / Cincinnati, OH / 2007
Rachel Farler Gill, Chris Wolf, Fallon Horstmeyer, JR Joy, Matt Joy, Tom Fitzgerald
Not only was this at the height of their career in my opinion, I had at the time waited 5 years for them to come close enough for me to see. They sounded amazing AND even came back to AliveOne that night. I served them with the help of my sis, got some autographs and continued to party with them late night on the patio at Pavilion where Caleb bought me a shot of Jameson and told me I was pretty. Yes, I'm bragging.
13. Heartless Bastards with Langhorne Slim / Southgate House / Newport, KY / 2008
Rachel Farler Gill
I have seen them a million times and another show of theirs that took place at the Madison in Covington almost made this list too. It was 2009 I went alone, which is honestly my favorite way to attend, and they were ridiculous, but I had to use that spot for someone else. Even though it was one of the greatest performances I have seen. I mean what can you say really? She is amazing every time I see her.
14. Raconteurs / PNC Pavilion / Cincinnati, OH / 2008
Lauren Jones
When they perforned Salute Your Solution, Lauren and I smiled at each other from ear to ear and danced our hearts out. Never forget it. Love you Laus. Also, my first show at PNC Pavilion. Not a bad seat in the house.
15. Heart with Journey & Cheap Trick / Riverbend Music Center / Cincinnati, OH / 2008
Lauren Jones, Erin Liesenfeld, Rebecca Feiler
Um...Heart is my favorite band ever. And I got to see them. Live. In person.
16. Rush / Riverbend Music Center / Cincinnati, OH / 2008
Erin Liesenfeld
I like Rush, don't get me wrong, but my motivation for going to this show was because Erin LOVED them as did the boy I then had eyes for so I knew he would be there. Much to my enjoyment however, Nei...Pert is it?, put on THEE best and longest drum solo I have ever seen or heard in my life.
17. Black Keys / Madison Theater / Covington, KY / 2008
Kim Jostworth, Gary Davis & Mark Yost
I could have said alone above because on the first note, the fog machines set off the smoke alarm and we were evacuated at which point my compadres left. I however, made friendlies with the door girls who let me stand inside the vestibule with them until doors opened back up, making me the first one back in the room. I parked undisturbed against the stage for the remainder of the show. Not to mention the fact that it was the first time I saw them live.
18. The French Kicks / Southgate House / Newport, KY / 2008
Solo
This was a Monday night. I got off work at the Sandbar and headed to Southgate solo. There were about 25 people there so you could practically stand on stage. The sound was perfect and the lead was easy on the eyes. I tried to buy a CD at the end but I had spent all my cash and they didn't take credit. There wasn't an ATM on premise so I tried to bargain with said lead singer and he wouldn't budge. I have never looked at them the same, but they still made this list, probably solely based on that performance of "Trial of the Century."
19. The Killers / Massey Hall / Toronto, ON / 2008
Kim Jostworth
Kim flew me to Toronto for two days just to go to this show with her. I didn't even like the Killers, but Kim is one of my most favorite concert buddies and I had never been to Toronto. They blew me away. My distaste for them was due to what I thought was an over produced sound until I saw that Brandon Flowers (who I had no idea was such a dreamboat) running around the stage like a madman playing every instrument. And we were sitting front row balcony so we had a perfect birds-eye of everything that was happening. The following summer in 2009, they put on just as mind blowing a show so I cannot NOT mention it but it doesn't get a number. It was at Lifestyles Community Pavilion in Columbus, OH and I went with Kim Jostworth & Gary Davis
20. The Pretenders with Bloc Party & the Black Kids / Nokia Theatre / Los Angeles, CA / 2008
Stacey Roeder Snow, Melissa Flippen, Chelsea Barnard, Lindsay & Courtney Vickers
After hiking for 6 hours in Malibu that day and then fighting LA traffic for 3 more, we barely made it to that show. CSS was supposed to open and didn't show which was silly, bu that was the only thing about the night that wasn't amazing. It was the first time I met Chels and the first time I hung out with Meliss face to face and both of them know why it was such a fun night (insert winkface).
21. Ratatat / Bogarts / Cincinnati, OH / 2009
Solo
I guess this show was impressive to me because I didn't know what to expect out of a live performance by them. I had heard the albums over and over and knew I loved them, but didn't think they would live up live. They did.
22. White Rabbit / Southgate House / Newport, KY / 2009
Mike Burke & Tom Fitzgerald
I knew I liked them, but after that show I LOVED them. One of the drummers was standing the whole time and his energy was incredible. I am obsessed to this day.
23. Guided By Voices / Bluebirds / Bloomington, IN / 2010
Matt & Lee Barrett
Lee was super tired the whole night and didn't feel like standing so for half the show we sat in a booth and couldn't see the stage. But something about seeing a band of their calibur in such a tiny room is just something. Plus the drive to Bloomington that night was beautiful and it was the first time I heard Joanna Newsome, and I had some really great vegan pizza next to the venue that night.
24. Black Lips / Southgate House / Newport, KY / 2011
James Zinkand
The energy in the room and on stage was just incredible. The sound was great and those guys just know how to perform.
25. The Decemberists / Lifestyles Community Pavilion / Columbus, OH / 2011
James Zinkand
I have wanted to see them for a billion years and the lovely James scored us free tickets. The show was sold out so it was mega-crowded which kinda sucked, but the closing song to the first encore was a blow-your-mind extended version of "The Mariner's Revenge" and it made up for the 23 draft beer drinking frat boys behind us.
26. Cold War Kids / Madison Theater / Covington, KY / 2011
Solo
I stood against the rail on the second level. I was at eye level with the band and no one was in front of me. Every song sounded so amazing that I can hardly one to pick out as an example but if I HAD to, it would be either "We Used to Vacation" or "Hang Me Up to Dry." For both songs, the whole room was singing and moving. You can't describe that kind of energy really.
27. My Morning Jacket with Neko Case / PNC Pavilion / Cincinnati, OH / 2011
Rachel & Josh Gill
Another bucket-lister since '02. They played every single song I wanted to hear from every album over the year. And my good friends from adolescence happened to be there and sat with us. It was all just perfect. Oh. And my 8 month pregnant sister got barfed on by some drunk kid. Disgustingly Hilariously Awesome.
28. Fruitbats / Southgate House / Newport, KY / 2011
Solo (but got to spend the evening with Camilla Mecher, Dan Mecher, Missy Raterman & Brandon Dawson)
I have loved these guys since college painting studio and for several years couldn't even find an album so when I heard they were coming to town, there was NO WAY I was missing it. They let me have two of their albums for the price of 1.5 and they closed with an extended version of "When You Love Somebody." One of my favorite songs with one of the best choruses of all time.
29. Ghostland Observatory / Radiodown / Covington, KY / 2011
Ryan Young
This is another one that I knew I wasn't missing as soon as the bill was listed. My introduction to them was a live performance at Austin City Limits (I saw on television) and you could feel the vibe coming out of the screen. In person, it was awe-striking. They didn't use stage lights at all so you never really saw their faces, more of just dancing silhouettes set to an incredible laser light show. It was hands down the loudest show I have ever been too, and that didn't bother me a bit.
30. Death Cab for Cutie / PNC Pavilion / Cincinnati, Ohio / 2011
Josh Boyd, Kim Jostworth & Gary Davis
I had to kick Bad Boy Bill from my 18th year off the list for this one seeing as how it just happened last night. They are another band that is an all time favorite and last night was the first time I have ever gotten to see them. It was freezing cold, but you couldn't beat the company I was in AND we had front row seats, which in my opinion are the best seats in the house AND they played every song I wanted to hear.
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