O.K. my 2009 music goal.....
So I saw Morrissey in Montclair, NJ last night and again it made me realize…
My track record for live shows over the past 4-5 years has been almost exclusively bands that I had seen anywhere from 10-25 years ago. Either reunion tours or bands who were just still active all that time, this has been true across the board for me. Even this summer at All Points West I was mainly there to see Radiohead who I had seen in 1994.
So my goal is to see at least 1-2 shows where A)the artist/band began after the turn of the century, and B) I have not seen before in a live setting.
The thing is, I could see if I were someone who didn’t keep up with current music and was simply used to only listening to older artists who had been around for a while. But I like to think that as far as typical 39 year olds go I keep up with contemporary music to what I would regard as an above average degree. The issue is 1)having kids (one who is not so easy to leave with a sitter), 2)Most shows in my area being in New York City which although close distance wise, involves at leat an hour trek home at the end of the night, which puts a damper on weeknight shows, and 3) Most bands playing the NYC area have taken to playing in Brooklyn since it became a hipster capital of the world, and that adds just another ridiculous layer of commuting complexity and time.
Comments
- Go to www.r5productions.com
- Find weekend shows you want to see
- Buy two tickets and crash at our place.
- ???
- Profit.
I actually look there quite a bit but most everything they book that I’d want to see are during the week. Plus, for the same amount of driving/distance/etc. It would be closer to go to Brooklyn.
It will be easier now that we’ve broken the seal on Dylan staying overnight without us, but still.
I’m not sure what time you have to wake up in the morning, but that extra hour coming home from Manhattan isn’t really that big of a deal is it? I mean, if your goal is to see 1 or 2 shows, I’m sure you can suck it up and stay up late once or twice this year right?
Oh yeah, it’s definitely not just a matter of me being tired. It’s more that if my son stays with my parents, that they have to be up a lot of the night due to his medical routine/needs/etc. So while I can say whatever and not worry about it and just be tired at work, I try and pick and choose when I ask them to suck that up for my benefit on a weeknight and ask them to be exhausted the next day.
Once they’re more used to it that should become easier to ask them to do.
Understood. I just assumed Dylan stayed home with the lady when you went out.
It may actually come to that, but for now we’ve always made the effort to both go out together (since that’s another thing that is sorely lacking in the throes of child rearing). But if the right situation came along I would fly solo.
I am determined this year it will be the case.
we seem to be going to more shows in the next few months than we have for ages. with kev starting on an earlier shift soon, we’ll be able to get around to weekday ones more, too. there are definitely going to be repeats, but i think we’ll try and keep on top of the new stuff, too.
it’s a good goal to have!
if i’m going to something in philly on a weeknight, i make sure it’s something not R5 because then it will definitely end before the trains stop running and i can get home before midnight. (actually that is where new york has an edge: THE TRAINS DON’T STOP RUNNING.)
How far are you from the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville? Amon Amarth is playing there on Friday, April 24th. Looks like there are only 3 opening bands and doors are at 6:30pm.
I’ve been to Starland before but it is a bit of a hike. Although I see Goatwhore is one of the openers of that show and I’d like to see them.
I also see that Napalm Death is playing there as well on a Sunday which wouldn’t be bad, but then I had to smack myself because I realize that’s not in keeping with my goal of bands I hadn’t seen or that are new.