Catch 'em while you can!

While assembling the setlist for my next show*, I thought back to last year's Fleshtones gig in Seattle. I opted to review the thread for that topic. It was fun to recall details about the show (such as Zaremba using me for support when he leaned out into the crowd). I saw that Heff called The Fleshtones "one of those bands that I think everyone should see at least once."

I certainly agree with Heff on that call. So! What other bands/artists are in that category?

Let's limit it to artists who you still do have the plausible chance to see.

---

*Oh, and that next show is tonight. I'm taking care of "The Stereo Wire" for Henry J.
10:30PM Pacific Time, Thursday 20 November. Check it out if you can!

Jason & the Scorchers, though I think you'd have to travel to Nashville or Europe to do it.

King Diamond.

Leonard Cohen

Michael, What is King Diamond like? I've had a weird desire to revisit his catalogue. Not that I was ever really a fan, but I used to enjoy that stuff semi-ironically when I was much younger.

Like Heff mentions below, it's a lot like Alice Cooper. When I saw him a couple of weeks ago, he had an elaborate 2-story stage set, actors playing characters from his songs, very creative and expert lighting and probably the tightest heavy metal band I've ever seen.

Also like Heff, I prefer Mercyful Fate for pure listening pleasure (Fate is somehow, paradoxically, both proggier and more straightforward than KD solo), but he's doing a greatest hits set right now with the intent of re-establishing himself on the scene after several years in recovery from his heart surgery. It's a good time to come (back) in, I think.

It helps to appreciate a European horror movie aesthetic as well. Some of his songs are silly, but some are pretty grotesque when you think about them. Children do not fair well in the King Diamond universe, though they usually return from whatever horrible fate was thrust upon them to take revenge on their killers/tormentors.

My friend (and radio host mentor) G.T. has endorsed The Romantics as a band whose live performances truly embody great rock & roll.

I'd add Motörhead and Cheap Trick to the gotta-see list.]

Anyone seen Fishbone in the past couple years? I've seen them four times, and with the exception of their appearance at Lollapalooza, they were breathtaking every time.

a list over 100

The B-52's
Of Montreal
The Avett Brothers
Carlene Carter Cash
Sandra Bernhard
Stan Ridgeway
Margaret Cho
Suzanne Vega
Loretta Lynn
Ted Nugent - yes, seriously
Willie Nelson
Brian Setzer

I wish there could be a decent Sublime "tribute" band - and, no, "Sublime With Rome" ain't it.

kexp 88.5!



Post Edited (11-20-14 23:22)

Agreed with Heff re: Fishbone. Saw 'em in the '80s and '90s and they were incredible. Saw 'em a few years ago, and, well, maybe they lost too many original members.

I second Heff's vote on Los Straitjackets--though I've certainly seen them more than once (it's in the 20s at this point, not even counting Eddie Angel solo gigs or the Neanderthals, Eddie's frat-rock band).

Richard Buckner

English Beat (Wakeling's current incarnation)

Paul Weller

The Queers

Another second on BCE's Willie Nelson

If Blur ever play America again, that would be a must-see gig

> I wish there could be a decent Sublime "tribute" band - and, no, "Sublime With Rome" ain't it.

I've heard good things about the group Badfish. I'm not a big Sublime fan, though, so basically, I'm just passing along what I've heard, rather than making a recommendation.

Yes! Finally a topic I can dig into.

-Los Straightjackets (though I really dig it when they tour with a gimmick. One time with a burlesque revue, the last time with Deke Dickerson as the front man. Next month they are going to be Nick Lowe's band so I'm looking forward to that)

-Man or Astroman?
-Redd Kross
-Wire (because they are legends)
-Pere Ubu (ditto but US tours are rare)
-Gary Numan (he puts on a great light show, though if you don't like his music stay away)
-Sloan (each member sings their own songs, I get the feeling they really like hanging out with each other, they genuinely appreciate their fans, Chris Murphy is a funny guy and their music is great)
-The Damned
-Rhett Miller (I've never seen the Old 97s but I imagine they are great live as well)
-The Aquabats (they just finished their tour and I don't know if there are plans for any more)
-Ghost (the music is good, the singer so-so but the satanic gimmick is hilarious)

Ditto on Stan Ridgway

Fishbone - well when I saw them in 1988 they were awesome. In the `90's pretty good. A couple of years ago, well, if you're a frat boy, you'd like them.

King Diamond - I saw him a couple of months ago and the closest analogy I could think of was Alice Cooper. I'm not a big fan of his music (I prefer Mercyful Fate) but the show was fun nonetheless.

I've found that the shows with the most energy tend to be metal shows. For the most part, the bands really seem to enjoy playing live. Sabaton was probably the best of this lot.

"-Gary Numan (he puts on a great light show, though if you don't like his music stay away)"

You also have to not mind a lip-synced show. At least that's what he did at Fun Fun Fun Fest a couple of weeks ago.

"I've found that the shows with the most energy tend to be metal shows. For the most part, the bands really seem to enjoy playing live. Sabaton was probably the best of this lot."

Having spent a lot of time the past few years covering metal, I concur with this statement. Unless you're a big name metal act, there frankly ain't much money in it, so you gotta do it because you love it or it's the best vehicle for self-expression. The vast majority of the metal acts I've seen fall into one or both of those categories. Mastodon is a great example on both counts.

Have to agree on metal shows. A lot of its sub-genre divisions can go take a flying leap, IMO, but the best of these bands all do their level best to leave no ass unkicked.

Gary Numan's Denver show, a few years ago, was fantastic.

Los Straitjackets is playing Seattle tonight, with Deke Dickerson. It pains me to miss them, but I have a prior commitment. (Man, I'd LOVE to see them as Nick Lowe's backing band.)

Agree on Man or Astro-man? and The Damned.

I've missed Sloan at least twice since moving here. But hey, I missed them for 20 years before moving here -- they never seem to get further south than the northern border states.

The Old 97s was great live, but I don't know if I'd include them on this list.

In addition to those previously mentioned:

I saw Future Islands and Titus Andronicus open for Okkervil River 3 or 4 years ago, and I can't recommend seeing both of those openers highly enough (better if I leave it at that for the uninitiated)

Deerhunter (although I always see them play Atlanta and half the audience is friends or relatives)

Jonathan Richman

Neko Case

Adrian Legg

The Gaslight Anthem – the closest approximation available of Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (for those so inclined) circa 1975:

[www.youtube.com]

...and then there's The Hold Steady. I'm coming up on 20 shows. I have one friend (my oldest friend, of 38 years) who's always on board. No one else has made it beyond show #1, Here's an example of the dichotomy:

[www.youtube.com]

[www.youtube.com]

He was in Sydney a couple of months ago and a mate of mine saw him in an inner west cafe. He had a friand, apparently.

I've never seen Robyn Hitchcock in the flesh. Grumble. Grumble. Grumble.