2015 Year End List: Shows
10:57 AM
In
my post about 2015's best albums, I talked about how I've listened to more new
music in 2015 than I have any other year of my life. This extends beyond just
LISTENING to music. I went to a LOT of shows in 2015 - more than I have been to
any other year of my life. I am going to write about the best of the best.
"My Life Just Changed Forever" Show
Fleetwood Mac // BMO Harris Bradley Center // 02/12/2015
This show was fucking amazing. Stevie Nicks is an actual goddess. The reason I deemed this a life changing show is because she gave one of those corny "Follow your dreams!!!1" speeches that tend to be given at a lot of large concerts - the major difference here being that it was delivered by Stevie Fucking Nicks. She talked about being in San Francisco inside a store full of beautiful clothes called The Velvet Underground and how upon entering the store, she knew she was going to make it as a musician. You can watch a version of the speech here. It will probably make you cry. Hearing Stevie Nicks tell me IN REAL LIFE that I can achieve my dreams really made me believe that I could. Shortly after this concert, I decided I was going to change my major from business (gross) to journalism. Thanks, Stevie.
Aside from the speech, the show was still very kick ass. They played all their bangers. I love seeing "old" bands play live because they almost always sound just like the recordings. Fleetwood Mac was no exception.
"Is This Really Fucking Happening???" Show
The Replacements // The Rave/Eagles Ballroom // 05/02/2015
"My Life Just Changed Forever" Show
Fleetwood Mac // BMO Harris Bradley Center // 02/12/2015
This show was fucking amazing. Stevie Nicks is an actual goddess. The reason I deemed this a life changing show is because she gave one of those corny "Follow your dreams!!!1" speeches that tend to be given at a lot of large concerts - the major difference here being that it was delivered by Stevie Fucking Nicks. She talked about being in San Francisco inside a store full of beautiful clothes called The Velvet Underground and how upon entering the store, she knew she was going to make it as a musician. You can watch a version of the speech here. It will probably make you cry. Hearing Stevie Nicks tell me IN REAL LIFE that I can achieve my dreams really made me believe that I could. Shortly after this concert, I decided I was going to change my major from business (gross) to journalism. Thanks, Stevie.
Aside from the speech, the show was still very kick ass. They played all their bangers. I love seeing "old" bands play live because they almost always sound just like the recordings. Fleetwood Mac was no exception.
"Is This Really Fucking Happening???" Show
The Replacements // The Rave/Eagles Ballroom // 05/02/2015
I was sitting in my Intro to Journalism lecture when I read the news: The Replacements were back together and were coming to Milwaukee. I remember having to hold back tears. The Replacements are my all time favorite band. They broke up in 1991 (five years before I was even alive) and have only had minor get togethers since, like Songs For Slim and a few reunion shows here and there. I had never in a million years thought I would be able to see them live.
I did. I was front row.* It was great.
To be completely honest, this show wasn't MIND BLOWING or anything. It was great, but it wasn't life changing (see above). There are a lot of songs that they omitted from their setlist that I wish they would have performed, like my favorites Sixteen Blue and Unsatisfied. Regardless, they played well and I was unbelievably happy to be in their presence. I can't say that the show didn't live up to my expectations because I didn't really have any. I was going to be seeing the fucking Replacements! Just being in the same room as them would have been good enough for me. This is a show I will never, ever forget. I still can't believe it actually happened.
*In my youth, I used to be very passionate about being as close to the stage as possible at GA shows. After this show, I have lost that sentiment. There will literally never be anything better than seeing The Replacements front row. Ever.
Best "I Went To This IRONICALLY" Shows
Weird Al // Summerfest // July 4, 2015
I had only known a few Weird Al songs prior to going to this show - "Fat", "Eat It", "I Bought It On Ebay" you know, the classics. My best friends and I decided that we need to see as many cultural icons as we can in our youth, and Weird Al is a cultural icon if there ever was one.
I'm having a hard time putting this show into words. Instead, here is a picture of us basking in the glow of Al's Weirdness:
Smash Mouth // Summerfest // July 5, 2014
Yeah, I saw Weird Al and Smash Mouth within the same 24 hours. I guessing Drake would refer to me as "A motherfucking legend". Weird Al was, well, weird. Smash Mouth was even weirder.
At the Smash Mouth concert, a large group of teens congregated near the stage. They had green face paint. They had Shrek ears. They had a blow up of Shrek that was similar in size to my bed. They had these things and shared them with everyone. 150 pairs of Shrek ears were scattered throughout Henry Maier Festival Park. People from all walks of life painted their faces green in solidarity for both Shrek and Smash Mouth. The giant Shrek was thrown on stage and lead singer Steve signed it. He said this show was one of the most well-recieved shows Smash Mouth has ever played. I'm honored to have been part of the audience. We were even front for for a little bit. We didn't try to be, but it just happened to work out that way. Thanks, God.
"Went To This On The Fly, And I'm So Happy I Did" Shows
Downtown Boys // The Cocoon Room // May 23, 2015
Of all the DIY shows I went to in 2015, Downtown Boys was by FAR the most memorable. The energy that this band has can not be matched. They have multiple saxophones and sing about the horrors of white privilege. Singer Victoria Ruiz walked through the crowd and sang right in the faces of several audience members, if they were lucky. (I wasn't. I'm guessing she sensed my fear.) I even mustered up the courage to talk to them after the show! This band is amazing and you need to listen to them if you haven't.
G.L.O.S.S. // The Borg Ward // September 30, 2015
I'm pretty happy about seeing the two greatest punk bands in the world right now this year, especially considering I live in Milwaukee where nothing cool ever happens. This was only my second show at the Borg Ward (the first being Screaming Females), and it was really fucking good. The bands that played before G.L.O.S.S. were great too. There are few experiences as powerful as a political punk show.
"This Show Literally Brought Me To Tears (As If That's Even Hard)" Show
No Doubt // Riot Fest Chicago // September 11, 2015
As I make this list, I can't believe how many amazing bands I saw this year. No Doubt is a band I feel like I have liked forever because my mom used to play their CDs in her Lexus (lol). Gwen Stefani has always been something of a "feminist icon" to me, even though many would argue with me on labeling her a feminist. This is another band I never thought I would see live, but alas. I cried two times during this show. The first time tears welled in my eyes was when Gwen was doing an acoustic version of "Simple Kind of Life". This show was shortly after her divorce from Gavin Rossdale, so it was obvious that emotions were running high. And isn't that what we ALL want? A simple kind of life?
Then, the tears started flowing for real during No Doubt's performance of "Just A Girl". Gwen, the amazing Gwen, climbed up the side of the stage like it was a LADDER and screamed at the audience that "GIRLS CAN DO IT BETTER!" YES, GWEN, WE CAN. AND WE WILL. AHHHHHHHHHH
Here is a list of all the shows I attended and bands I saw in 2015. It was a real good year. Here's to 2016.
Popular/Known Bands:
-Fleetwood Mac (!!!!!)
-Twin Peaks
-The Replacements (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
-Downtown Boys
-FIDLAR
-Madisen Ward & Mama Bear
-Pixies
-Bastille
-Weird Al
-Smash Mouth
-Screaming Females
-Shepphard (or whatever idk)
-Marina and the Diamonds (TWICE)
-No Doubt
-Christine and the Queens
-Vacation
-G.L.O.S.S.
Local/DIY Shows:
-Platinum Boys x5
-Midnight Reruns x4
-Midwives x2
-Body Futures
-Appleseeds
-Seven Costanza
-Fatty Acids
-GGGOOOLLLDDD (I think that's the correct number of letters...)
-Dogs In Ecstacy
-Tenement
-New Age Narcicissm
-Lex Allen
-Rabbit Holes
-Winter Bear
-Kia Rap Princess
-Ramma Lamma
-Trapper Schoepp & The Shades
-Piles
-Holy Shit!
-Utah Jazz
-Youth Crush
-WebsterX
-Lorde Fred33
-Klassik
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