Hinds, Mamalarkey, Spooky Boys at the Aladdin, Portland OR

Nonagon at Reed's Local

Fotocrime, Austerity Program, Fools Ghost at Empty Bottle

I will be the first to admit that maybe I don't always add shows to this blog in a timely manner.  I forget!  So sometimes there are BIG gaps where I actually went to shows.  But, in this case, it has been a loooooong time since I went to a real show (there have been a smattering of backyard shows and rehearsal attendances).  The pandemic has not been kind to my already spotty show-attending schedule.

It was good to see real live bands playing loud music with real live people in a dark bar.

Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Mustard Plug, Crombies at House of Blues

Primus, Mastodon at Northerly Island

Waco Brothers at Schuba's

All Tomorrow's Impeachments at Bottom Lounge

Nonagon and others at Subterranean

I sure don't remember much about the other bands.

I do know that we went out for Pancakes afterwards - Em and i rode packed into the back of the van with the equipment.

Riot Fest at Douglass Park

Emmett:  Eagles of Death Metal seem waaayyy over the top

Johno:  That's the point though, right?  Aren't they like 75% schtick

Me: 110%

Primus, Dinosaur Jr. at Eagles Ballroom

The Sword at Eagles Hall

Motorhead at the Congress

Lollapalooza in Grant Park

Finally made it to Lolla after the fiasco in 1991. We (Johno, me, others most assuredly) were supposed to meet my sister Jen at the Hinsdale oasis, but we had to return a UHaul and were running late (yes, I'm always late). We got there and waited hours playing hacky-sack before giving up and going home. Turns out, she was there but headed to the venue (Tinley Park) to wait for us outside the gate. When I talked to her the next day, she was cheesed because she missed a bunch of the show waiting for us. Why she waited for us in the wrong place, I still don't know.

Anyway... My memories of this show are pretty hazy. I know we saw Social Distortion.

Ingrid tells me we saw Gogol Bordello. I believe her.

Em brought a friend maybe from summer camp (?) who went by BJ(?). I guess the name wasn't problematic for 11 year olds... Em, he and I went up close for Green Day. We could feel the pyrotechnics. This was back when Jo didn't like live shows, so she and Ian stayed in the back and did whatever those two weirdos did back then. I doubt they even watched the show...

Riot Fest at the Congress

Not Em's first show (that's this one), but this was his first real, punk-rock show (the Wacos are awesome and rockin', but that show was not exactly Punk Rock, especially as it was an afternoon matinee).

I think we saw other bands besides just the Horrorpops and Bosstones, but those were the two that left an impression (I know some punk band was playing in the lobby when we got there).

I distinctly remember Em being wide-eyed when we made it down to the Horrorpops (relatively tame, all things considered) pit.  As is my wont, we stayed by the back edge of the pit.

Two things I will always remember about the Bosstones set:

• Part way into the set, I left Em to join the pit.  Yea, he was only 9 - most everyone at most every show I've been to has been totally supportive of kids.  He had strict instructions to stay where he was, and I kept an eye on him (as did the folks standing next to him).  If I was worried at all, that was extinguished when I saw Em, head thrown back singing along at the top of his lungs to Don't Worry Desmond Dekker.  From that moment, that song reminds me of Em.  When they sing "I can hear your laughter, it stays with me after all this time," it brings to my mind the first time I heard the boy laugh: he was a little baby laying on our king-size bed.  This was before we had remodeled, so it was right outside the bathroom, which is where I was when I heard the weirdest sounds coming from him - almost like a dog barking, but unmistakably laughter.  The sheets were purple t-shirt material.
• The Bosstones covered The Impossible Dream, and unfurled a huge Obama banner behind the stage when doing so.  Still probably the most powerful political moment I have witnessed at a concert.

I rode my bike home, with Em on the trail-bike behind me.  He sang the Horrorpops song that 'quotes' Madness ("my fist, in the middle of your face" to the tune of "our house, in the middle of our street") most of the way.  I feel it should be noted that, despite the lyric, this was a happy thing (not violent or angry - I can't imagine Emmett actually hitting someone, then or now).

Waco Brothers, Championship at Schuba's

Emmett's first show.

The Championship opened.  They had kind of a mellow, 70s vibe.  I liked them.  Am i getting old?

We went near the front for the Wacos.  Ended up right in front of Deano, and next to his wife.  She seemed nice.  And she thought it was cool how into it Em was.  She pointed out Langford's kid, who had his fingers in his ears the whole show...

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros at Summerfest

Amy and i drove up to see Strummer the day after i had caught him at the Metro.  She was 7 months pregnant with Emmett at the time (who we were calling "Lump").  How's that for love?

Strummer was good.  Not as good as the night before, but that might have been the venue (outdoors, etc.).  I did notice that he did, in fact, change the ad libbed parts of the songs to reflect the fact that we were in Wisconsin and not Chicago.