Depeche Mode at Poplar Creek

Naked Raygun, The Slugs, Sixteen Tons at Friends & Co.

This was my first real Punk Rock show.  Johno drove Robbie's car down.  This was well before Lisa and i dated; it's possible this is where we first met and it's also possible that she didn't remember that.  This seems to be a recurring theme... perhaps i am more nondescript than i suspected.

The show was great.  It was in a small venue with a concrete floor.  I spent much of the time keeping bigger folks from slamming into smaller folks.  At one point my nose was bloodied, so i beat a hasty retreat to the bathroom.  I think i only missed one song, if that.

And Roller Queen is still stuck in my head.

The thumbtack hole at the top left of the ticket is from where i tacked it to the doorframe in my room up in Zion.  This was before i officially moved out of my folks' house.  Also before i had far too many ticket stubs to tack them to just one doorframe.

The lollipop says NAKED RAYGUN on the stick (it's a bit hard to read now).  I'm pretty sure it's from this show, but i did collect a lot of 'free shit' from various Raygun shows - but i remember this one being tacked to that same doorframe.  Also, is it wrong for me to want to eat a nearly 30 year old lollipop?

They Might Be Giants at Mabel's

They Might be Giants are great.  Standing behind Tripping Frank and his wildly swinging long hair, not so much.

Judging by the date, i went to this show with a bunch of new friends.  Could this be the first show i went to with Johno?  i think it might be...

American Music Club, Lonely Trailer at Trito's Uptown

Another show i remember little about.  Definitely went with Mike Lit, as he was a fan of AMC.

I thought this show was at Mabel's, but this flyer says otherwise.  Huh - my brain seems to be conflating this show with this one.

Sting at Dane County Coliseum

I would have sworn that this show happened much later, but i guess it did not.  Did i miss school to see it?  Certainly i missed an awful lot of school, but going to a mid-week show in Madison seems a lot more premeditated than i ever remember being.  Oh well, i know i went up to see Sting with Chris, and the internet tells me that this is when he played there (Sting, not Chris), so who am i to argue with the mighty internet?

Anayway, i don't remember the show at all.  I know i bought a t-shirt...

I do remember getting more than a little tipsy with Chris, eating Cool Ranch Doritos and playing Elevator Action in the lobby of his dorm.  Chris nearly pulled the game over on himself, but i managed to catch it and SAVE HIS LIFE.  Chris didn't eat Cool Ranch Doritos for years after that.  I don't believe his Elevator Action play-time was affected.

Public Image Ltd. at the Riviera

Went to this show by myself.  I think i was staying at Jeff's house for the night.  In my head, it was at the Vic, but apparently it was at the Riv...  This was the first show i saw that approached punk rock.  I was blown away.  I also seem to remember thinking it was awfully warm at a show wearing a leather jacket.

Lime Spiders opened.

I remember finding a bootleg tape of this show at some record-collector's thing in a hotel in Champaign.  Did that tape break?  Do i still have it anyway?

U2 at Assembly Hall, Champaign

We sat dead center in the very last row ... I could reach back at touch the domed ceiling.  Turns out that johno was sitting just a few seats over, but this was before I knew him.

Fine Young Cannibals at the Metro

Jeff and i met the girls there.  This is the first time Amy and i met (she does not remember this).  Monkey Rhythm opened and was introduced as "the best band in the world."  Both Jeff and i wondered why, if true, were they opening?...

It took me a while, but i eventually found Monkey Rhythm's only record.  It took even longer, but i even found it digitally as well (especially because it took over ten years for digital music to even exist).

There was a crazy dancer in front of us for much of FYC.  This wasn't a big deal, as the Metro was only about 1/2 full.

Amy's mom's date gave us all a ride home.

Sting at Poplar Creek

My first show.  My mom took us.  I do not remember being embarrassed by this.