Let me sum it up for you. Information is not knowledge. Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is not truth. Truth is not beauty. Beauty is not love. Love is not music. Music is the best.
Frank Zappa (1940 - 1993), U.S. rock musician and composer.
Soundtrack to Daily Life. I walked over to my parents house the other day and I passed people playing pool in their garage with the door open and the music blasting. I was very happy not to be their neighbor. I have no doubt they are happy I am not their neighbor. As I continued on my 1.3 mile journey no matter the activity someone had to be serenaded by music. Do they ever just stop and enjoy the quiet?
On The Beach. Wife and I did our good deed Saturday morning and made a delivery of computer monitors for Inside Out Community Arts. They are located in Venice, so we opted to go early and then hang out at the beach. We had breakfast in a nice café and then we walked along the pedestrian path a couple of miles. On the way back, I even took off my shoes and socks and walked across the sand looking for shards of glass. Once we reached the water’s edge, we rolled up our pants walked along the wet sand with an occasional wave sending water up to our ankles. However, I was mindful of an aftershock to the Manhattan Beach earthquake a few days ago, you can’t be too careful about tsunamis these days.
Concerts. I have thinking over the past few days what performers I have seen in concert over the years. I have decided to list them:
He took my music. But he gave me my name.
Muddy Waters (1915 - 1983), U.S. blues musician, Referring to Mick Jagger
Frank Zappa* (three times, my first concert ever. Tom Waits was the opening act. This was at the Santa Monica Civic)
Beach Boys and Chicago (Anaheim Stadium)
David Bowie (Diamond Dogs tour, Anaheim Convention Center)
Jethro Tull (Los Angeles Forum)
ELO (Santa Monica Civic)
Tom Waits* (Ivar Theater in Hollywood and at the Pantages Theater)
Leon Redbone (opened for Tom Waits)
Arlo Guthrie (Santa Monica Civic)
Pete Seeger (Cal. State Long Beach)
The Kinks (three times)
The Rolling Stones* (10 times: LA Forum 2xs ’75; LA Coliseum ’81; Anaheim Stadium ’84 not sure of the year, Rose Bowl 2xs one of those was Daughter’s first Stones concert, of course she wanted to go to the bathroom during the encore, but we were back without missing a song; Seattle Dome; Staples Center Halloween night three years ago; Madison Square Garden with Daughter and On The Mark.
Joe Cocker (Santa Monica Civic & UCLA)
Bob Dylan (Universal Amphitheatre)
Paul McCartney* (his first tour after the Beatles)
Elton John* (Hollywood Bowl)
Guns & Roses (opened for the Stones)
Sheryl Crow (opened for the Stones)
J. Geils Band (opened for the Stones)
Prince* (2xs, once opened for the Stones and was pummeled with shoes and just recently at Staples Center)
Bruce Springsteen (two times, LA Sports Arena, I don’t recall the 2nd time)
Red Hot Chile Peppers (Opened for the Stones)
The Grateful Dead (Santa Monica Civic)
Jazz concerts
I usually don't buy jazz records. They make me tired and depressed.
Miles Davis (1926 - 1991), jazz musician, composer, and trumpeter.
Frank Sinatra* (Four times. three at the Universal Amphitheater, once at the LA Forum with Liza and Sammy)*
Tony Bennett (Hollywood Bowl)
Ella Fitzgerald (Hollywood Bowl)
Sarah Vaughn (Blue Note in NY)
Mel Torme (Two or three times at the Hollywood Bowl)
Carmen McRae* (four times local jazz clubs)
Brandford Marsalis* (local jazz club)
Terence Blanchard* (Hollywood Bowl)
Ray Brown (local jazz club)
Benny Green* (local jazz club)
Jane Monheit* (three times at local jazz clubs)
Tierney Sutton* (twice at local jazz clubs)
Karrin Allyson* (Three times at local jazz clubs)
Dee Dee Bridgewater*** (Twice at local jazz clubs, proposed to Wife** because of one of the shows)
Diana Krall* (once at the Hollywood Bowl)
Regina Carter* (local jazz club)
*concerts I have seen with On The Mark
8 comments:
It's funny bc I tried to do this with a friend the other day. A very incomplete list would include: Bryan Adams (my first concert ever), Richard Marx, Beach Boys, Duran Duran, Cracker/Gin Blossoms/Spin Doctors, Dave Matthews, Garth Brooks, Letters to Cleo, Tonic, Jellyfish/Tears for Fears, Lilth Fair, Goo Goo Dolls and a bunch of others I may or may not care to admit to seeing. As you can see, I have quite the eclectic past.:)
Janet, my wife would love to see Dave Matthews. I noticed that you have both an eclectic and mature taste in music for someone of your age, not just from your comment, but also from regularly reading your blog, which I encourage others to checkout.
On The Mark, I can no longer be counted on to be our lone historian, I know we saw a few other jazz acts at the various clubs, but I don't recall who we saw. I know we saw someone name Sanders, I think we saw Ray Brown together, but I know that Wife and her sister also enjoyed a Ray Brown show.
I tend not to go to concerts as much anymore. The prices have gone crazy. Zappa was $6.50. The first Stones concert was $12.50 and scalper tickets for the second show in 5th row seats went for $25. On the Mark and I paid $40 each for McCartney from scalpers. The Stones concert on Halloween night were $350 each. I suspect the Madison Square Garden tickets were more than that.
I'm still in shock at the mental image of The Misanthrope rolling up his cuffs and walking along the beach. No grumbling? No mumbling? No complaints about the roughness of the sand or the loudness of the crashing waves?
This is Wife, he complained about the wet sand being harder than cement, he grumbled after a wave soaked his pants up to his knees. This morning he is complaining his calves are sore. We also had to buy hats to protect him from the sun. The baseball hat he wore wasn't good enough, the new cap still wasn't enough protection, finally he purchased a big floppy hat he could camp under. We took a picture of him looking very misanthropic at waters edge.
Do they ever just stop and enjoy the quiet?
I like doing this, but I have to admit that I cannot imagine a life without music.
Last year, we relaxed around the fireplace reading our books with classical or mellow music playing, but this year we have opted for less music and we really found the quiet to be even more peaceful.
The other issue is when one is enjoying one's music does the neighbor have to be serenaded too?
Daxohol, please take the idea. I look forward to reading your list.
Oooh, so many great artists. I have seen many of the same.
I LOVE Paul McCartney. I have never seen him. He is coming to my city in Nov., but the tix sold out in 30 minutes to a bunch of scalpers who are selling them on Ebay for 10x the price. Grrrr.
I love ELO. Just heard Sweet-Talking Woman the other day. I love 70's music. I hate jazz. The sound of the sax makes me wanna hit someone. :)
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