Special Beat, The Toasters, The Skunks at the Vic

Helmet at Metro

Justin always used to cheer at the quiet breaks in songs in the hopes of making it on a live recording.  He succeeded when two tracks from this show (Bad Mood and Distracted) were made the b-sides on the Unsung 12".

Bonnie tells me that she lost her shoe in the pit and we pulled her out.  That certainly sounds like something that could happen.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Bad Religion at Metro

The only thing i remember about this show was watching Bad Religion from the balcony.  It's one of the only shows i've seen from there, maybe the only one.  I'm sure i went down front and center for the bosstones.

Pearl Jam at the Metro

I worked with a guy named Lars at the pizza place in Evanston.  He was studying opera at Northwestern.  Listening to him sing, or even shout back to the kitchen, was amazing.  He was from Seattle.  He said we should see Pearl Jam.  We did.  He was right - they were good.  Other folks discovered this fact as well...

I could have sworn this was the first time I had seen Pearl Jam, but this show was after I saw them open for the Red Hots at the Aragon.  They did play Metro once before this (21 July 1991), but that was before I was living in Chicago, and thus before I met Lars.

Ice-T, Body Count, Hard Corps at Metro

 I think this is the correct date...

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam at the Aragon

They set up chairs on the dance floor.  Eddie Vedder said he had always dreamt of playing there.  But in his dreams, there were no chairs.  He encouraged folks to fold up the chairs and pass them to the back.  The crowd gleefully complied.  The bouncers were not pleased and commenced with the bouncing of people.  Johno was one of those unlucky souls.  I was shocked when he was hauled off, but chasing after him provided no solution.  Back to the show I went.

Smashing Pumpkins were boring; the Red Hots were not.

I don't know how or when we met back up with Johno after the show, but clearly we must have.

I could have sworn this we went to this show after the other time I saw Pearl Jam, but the internet tells me that is not so...

Fishbone and Primus at the Riviera

I remember being pretty excited about this show.  Both Fishbone and Primus were pretty big deals in our little world at the time.  Maybe this was a little past their prime as far as we were concerned, but still...

It seems likely maybe Johno and I had more friends there, and even more likely that Jen brought a friend or two of hers along as well (perhaps that Michelle M girl?).

Fishbone had an informal 'big booty contest' up on stage during their set.  It was embarrassing even then.  But thank grod at least i didn't see my little sister up there.

I do not remember seeing the Hard Corps, but I do have an ep by them, so maybe this is where I heard of them.  I do seem to recall buying a bootleg t-shirt outside the riv on the way out.

Murphy's Law, Mighty Mighty Bosstones at Medusa's

Went alone.

Chants of 'skinhead' during the Murphys' set (i had dreads at the time).  Some girl (friend of the band?) danced on stage for much of their set.  She mostly took off her sparkly silver dress, but managed to keep the show PG-13 with strategic hand placement.

I believe the Bosstones rocked.

I think the only other time i was at Medusa's, a bunch of us walked over from Patreeecia's house on some new years' eve.  I remember throwing up the glass of champagne i drank walking there.  I didn't even break stride, of course.  Gumby didn't even notice i did it...

Royal Crescent Mob at the Cubby Bear

It seems incredibly unlikely that we would have dragged Lisa's mom to a show.  But i definitely remember her being there.  If my mind is playing tricks on me, at least it's making up interesting stuff.

Also, RC Mob covered Mama Said Knock You Out for what must have been one of the very first times.  David Ellison (the singer) read the lyrics out of a Tiger Beat (or somesuch) magazine.

The internet tells me Daisy Chain opened, and i believe it, even though i have no memory of this band at all.