Bad Manners at Lounge Ax

Finally, my first ska show.  After listening to it for years, there were now just the hint of bands touring and playing it.  This would turn into a flash flood in a few years.  Then everybody got sick of it (i did not).

Anyway, i was living in Dekalb at the time, and Johno called me on the day of the show to tell me Bad Manners were playing.  I managed to beg someone to cover my shift and hopped on the motorbike and drove to Chicago.

It should be noted that at the time i was working in a hot kitchen and living a block from work.  Also, i was an idiot (some things don't change).  So i always wore shorts, and didn't think twice about riding in them.  Despite there being snow on the ground.  That was a COLD ride.

After getting to Lounge Ax and warming up (it took a while), i ditched my leather jacket under the stage with a bunch of other folks' coats and whatnot...

The show was great.  The horn parts were played by a fiddler, if memory serves.  They dumped water on the crowd (a welcome relief by that point) during Special Brew.

I got to say hello to Buster Bloodvessel briefly after the show (he's much shorter when not on stage).  And then discovered by jacket had been stolen.  Of course it had my wallet in it.  I was displeased.

Someone found the wallet in a trashcan on the el platform and somehow got it back to me.  And johno loaned me a windbreaker or something so the ride home the next day wouldn't be quite so cold (also, it was daytime so i was warmed by the glorious rays of the sun.  And probably my anger at having had my leather stolen).


***I do not remember, nor have i been able to find any evidence of, the date of this show.  I know the year is right, and the month should be close.  I arbitrarily chose the date because i like the number 13 (February 13th is my best friend from high school Karen's birthday, meaning this is most likely not the correct date, as i probably would have remembered that).

Special Beat, Toasters at the Metro

This show was 25 bucks - obscenely expensive for that time for us.  Halfway through the opening band, Johno and I decided it was worth it.  The Toasters were great.

And then Special Beat came out and blew them away.  Roger and Neville spent the whole show running back and forth across the stage.  We could not believe how much energy they had.  And of course a set made up of the best songs of The Beat and The Specials is nothing to sneeze at!  They only played one new song: Rainy Days.  General Public finally recorded it for their reunion album. And I eventually found the demo of it that Special Beat recorded (thank you, internet).

Faith No More, Voivod, Soundgarden at Mabel's

Did i go to the show by myself?

I remember loving Faith No More.  I don't remember much about Voivod.  And the only thing i remember about Soundgarden is falling asleep standing up.

Years later, i found out Tiny was at this show.  Alas, i would not meet him for another decade or more.

Culture, The Spores at Mabel's

Well I sure don't remember this concert at all. But here's the ticket stub proving I was there:

What's funny is, I distinctly remember buying my first Culture CD. It was in downtown Evanston the summer I was parking cars (1992?) at the suggestion of the guy who worked at the CD store (I'd have called it a 'record store', but they only sold CDs). I do not recall knowing Culture at the time. Did I even remember this concert then?...

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mary's Danish, Raging Slab at Ritz's

It would be super-hard to drink without elbows.

And sticky, too - if you were, say, trying to drink apple cider out of a gallon jug without your elbows...

Flaming Lips at Trito's Uptown

The internet tells me this was at Trito's, but I would have sworn it was Mabels.  Still the most sense-overwhelming show I've ever seen.  Loud.  Lights.  Smoke.  You name it, they brought it.  And turned it up to 11.

REM, NRBQ at Assembly Hall

If memory serves (and it sometimes does), Lionel scored "good tickets" last minute for all of us for cheap. I was dubious, but went in on them. The seats were actually pretty close. And right behind a pole.

Were other roommates here? Probably. I can't really remember anyone there besides Michael Stipe and the pole.

Fine Young Cannibals at the Aragon

New Order, Public Image, Sugarcubes at Poplar Creek

We saw the show from the lawn.  I remember it being mostly pretty chill.  Alas, Johno was not there (was this summer he was in far away California? or perhaps Ohio?).  But we all danced in his honor.