2023 Concerts

[Logic]

Snuck into the Springsteen and the E Street Band show the other night. Saw an unguarded "club level seating" door, slipped in. Then, waited 'til the ticket taker was busy intently helping another guy get his mobile ticket to show on his phone, and just slipped into the line and walked in. Was surprisingly easy. Once inside, found my way to a seat about 10 rows from the stage, behind it and to the side. Great view of all the action. 

My first time seeing Bruce. He was incredible, as was his band. 3 hours, 26 songs, no breaks. Played everything you'd want him to. I was positioned so that I had a particularly great view of Max Weinberg, who I watched for much of the show.

I basically had an out-of-body experience during "I'm on Fire". That song means a lot to me, and he hadn't played it all tour. That was the first one of the tour, and I didn't expect it. When he sang "sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull, and cut a six inch valley through the middle of my skull"....the goosebumps on my arms, man, oh man...that's what seeing live music is all about.

Right before the encore portion, I slipped down onto the floor level, about 20 rows from the stage, by simply looking at my phone and acting busy as I walked past security. Was down there for Thunder Road and Born to Run and Glory Days. 

Amazing show, amazing band, amazingly poor job by security 😄

Edited March 8, 2023 by Logic

[Success]

On 2/10/2023 at 4:53 PM, Gugny said:

 

Yeah, that is friggin' nuts.

 

I saw Cheap Trick last summer when they opened up for Rod Stewart.  I was pleasantly surprised at how great they sounded; particularly Robin Zander's voice.  They were great.  We had lawn seats, so it wasn't that expensive - they (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) had a special through which we got tickets for $25/each.  

 

I hate to sound like the old guy yelling at clouds, but back in the 80s and even into the early 90s, lawn seats were a standard price of $9 for all of their concerts.

 

Now, the normal lawn seat goes for at least $50 which I refuse to pay.

 

Cheap Trick was great ... but not $200 great.

 

 

Cheap Trick has always been considered to be one of the best live bands out there - even in recent years.  I saw them about 5-6 years ago, and they were just great & a lot of fun.  Zander is one of my favorite singers.

 

I've seen older artists who kind of mail it in & are just touring for the paycheck.  They don't do that, from what I could tell.

 

[Just Jack]

The Cure announced their North America tour dates today

 

The Cure | Official Website

 

 

[Fr. Jerk]

Hoping to see Killa Cam, ya dig?

Edited March 10, 2023 by The Jerk

[jayg]

On 3/8/2023 at 5:07 PM, Success said:

 

Cheap Trick has always been considered to be one of the best live bands out there - even in recent years.  I saw them about 5-6 years ago, and they were just great & a lot of fun.  Zander is one of my favorite singers.

 

I've seen older artists who kind of mail it in & are just touring for the paycheck.  They don't do that, from what I could tell.

 

Love them since I was a kid. I'm 53 now I saw them five or six years ago at Riot Fest in Chicago and they were amazing. That was my first time seeing them.

[T&C]

Here is a great example of... it's time to let it go. No Cummings, no go. It's like seeing Jethro Tull without Anderson. 

 

https://www.themahaffey.com/show/the-guess-who/

 

The Guess Who is:
Garry Peterson
Derek Sharp
Michael Devin
Leonard Shaw
Michael Staertow

[WhoTom]

34 minutes ago, T&C said:

Here is a great example of... it's time to let it go. No Cummings, no go. It's like seeing Jethro Tull without Anderson.

 

Back in 1987, my then-girlfriend (now wife) and I saw The Guess Who (no Bachman or Cummings) and Buffalo Springfield (no Stills or Young.) Yeah, basically two tribute bands, but I knew that going in. Tickets were cheap and we enjoyed the show anyway.

 

When Buffalo Springfield came on stage, some guy in the audience yelled, "Where's Neil Young?" One of the band members replied, "Didn't you hear the news? Neil went solo."

 

 

[Gugny]

Got a couple tickets to see Cake at the Rooftop at Pier 17 in NYC.  Very cool outdoor venue right on the water in lower Manhattan.  Holds about 3,400 people (General Admission).

 

Cake rarely plays out.  This is just an 8-stop "tour."  I heard about this on Lithium (Sirius/XM) and immediately came home and bought tickets, as they were apparently selling very quickly.

 

Many years ago, I passed up on the chance to see Cake at a VERY small venue in Clifton Park, NY.  I've been kicking myself ever since.  

I am super excited to see these guys live.

[T&C]

5 hours ago, WhoTom said:

 

Back in 1987, my then-girlfriend (now wife) and I saw The Guess Who (no Bachman or Cummings) and Buffalo Springfield (no Stills or Young.) Yeah, basically two tribute bands, but I knew that going in. Tickets were cheap and we enjoyed the show anyway.

 

When Buffalo Springfield came on stage, some guy in the audience yelled, "Where's Neil Young?" One of the band members replied, "Didn't you hear the news? Neil went solo."

 

 

1987. No Bachman I could see but wonder why no Cummings... unless he was in one of his moods. Was there Anyone from BS there at all?

[T&C]

Just saw this... too late for us, already have plans. dammit

 

https://www.rutheckerdhall.com/events/detail/rick-wakeman

[Mr Info]

March 31-April 2: For Central Virginians or those who happen to be around. Stevestock 5 Music Fest at a guys farm not far from Richmond.

The following is a link to Eventbrite for band listing and tix. At least 7 of these are Dead bands. You can google the facebook link.

 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwih2NTI5-H9AhUOr4QIHQTRAYoQFnoECBIQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.com%2Fe%2Fstevestock-v-tickets-508006008647&usg=AOvVaw2raS1kNFCMy6pjKfqB-OTz

[SinceThe70s]

6 hours ago, Gugny said:

Got a couple tickets to see Cake at the Rooftop at Pier 17 in NYC.  Very cool outdoor venue right on the water in lower Manhattan.  Holds about 3,400 people (General Admission).

 

Cake rarely plays out.  This is just an 8-stop "tour."  I heard about this on Lithium (Sirius/XM) and immediately came home and bought tickets, as they were apparently selling very quickly.

 

Many years ago, I passed up on the chance to see Cake at a VERY small venue in Clifton Park, NY.  I've been kicking myself ever since.  

I am super excited to see these guys live.

 

That sounds like a fun show.  Enjoy!

[Just Jack]

8 hours ago, WhoTom said:

 

Back in 1987, my then-girlfriend (now wife) and I saw The Guess Who (no Bachman or Cummings) and Buffalo Springfield (no Stills or Young.) Yeah, basically two tribute bands, but I knew that going in. Tickets were cheap and we enjoyed the show anyway.

 

 

A friend of mine says that unless a band has all their original members, it's just a tribute band.  I think he only says that the make himself feel better about not spending money on concerts.  My attitude is if my ticket has a band name on it, then I've seen that band, even if it's only one original member in it. 

[Bills4everNY]

Gordon Lightfoot is coming to my city in June. I've never seen him in concert before and I'm thinking of going. Has anyone here seen him in concert recently?

Edited March 17, 2023 by Bills4everNY

[davefan66]

Seeing Chicago at Turningstone and Billy Idol at Niagara Fallsview.  Pretty pumped for both.

 

Would love to see Peter Gabriel.  

[SirAndrew]

8 hours ago, Just Jack said:

 

A friend of mine says that unless a band has all their original members, it's just a tribute band.  I think he only says that the make himself feel better about not spending money on concerts.  My attitude is if my ticket has a band name on it, then I've seen that band, even if it's only one original member in it. 

It depends who the remaining members are for me. I’m not particularly into seeing a band with the drummer as the sole original member, or a band with no original members. It differs by band on whom I’m willing to see without original members. Being a fan of guys who are the remaining band members is a huge factor. If a band loses every member I care about, then I have no interest. 

Edited March 17, 2023 by SirAndrew

[WhoTom]

13 hours ago, T&C said:

1987. No Bachman I could see but wonder why no Cummings... unless he was in one of his moods. Was there Anyone from BS there at all?

 

I think Buffalo Springfield had the original rhythm section. Probably the same for The Guess Who. Both bands had two old guys surrounded by young guys, so I assume the old guys were originals. 

[Ned Flanders]

On 3/8/2023 at 2:51 PM, Logic said:

Snuck into the Springsteen and the E Street Band show the other night. Saw an unguarded "club level seating" door, slipped in. Then, waited 'til the ticket taker was busy intently helping another guy get his mobile ticket to show on his phone, and just slipped into the line and walked in. Was surprisingly easy. Once inside, found my way to a seat about 10 rows from the stage, behind it and to the side. Great view of all the action. 

Seeing him on the 27th in DC...greatest rock showman out there.  First saw him during The River tour in Rochester in December 1980.

[Just Jack]

8 hours ago, davefan66 said:

Would love to see Peter Gabriel.  

 

September 9th for me, hoping it's not the Bills Home Opener that weekend.  I can make it work if it is, just won't be able to take part in the usual festivities.  He has said Buffalo will be a stop on the tour, but they haven't said when. 

[davefan66]

1 hour ago, Just Jack said:

 

September 9th for me, hoping it's not the Bills Home Opener that weekend.  I can make it work if it is, just won't be able to take part in the usual festivities.  He has said Buffalo will be a stop on the tour, but they haven't said when. 

Waiting for a Buffalo date.  Hopeful.

[Johnny Hammersticks]

I’m SO excited to see Counting Crows with my wife AGAIN on 7/5 at SPAC 😒😔

[Buffalo716]

2 hours ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I’m SO excited to see Counting Crows with my wife AGAIN on 7/5 at SPAC 😒😔

I’m sensing sarcasm 

[LeviF]

On 3/17/2023 at 6:38 PM, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I’m SO excited to see Counting Crows with my wife AGAIN on 7/5 at SPAC 😒😔

With Dashboard Confessional!!! Aka the soundtrack of emo middle school Levi. 

[muppy]

On 3/8/2023 at 11:51 AM, Logic said:

Snuck into the Springsteen and the E Street Band show the other night. Saw an unguarded "club level seating" door, slipped in. Then, waited 'til the ticket taker was busy intently helping another guy get his mobile ticket to show on his phone, and just slipped into the line and walked in. Was surprisingly easy. Once inside, found my way to a seat about 10 rows from the stage, behind it and to the side. Great view of all the action. 

My first time seeing Bruce. He was incredible, as was his band. 3 hours, 26 songs, no breaks. Played everything you'd want him to. I was positioned so that I had a particularly great view of Max Weinberg, who I watched for much of the show.

I basically had an out-of-body experience during "I'm on Fire". That song means a lot to me, and he hadn't played it all tour. That was the first one of the tour, and I didn't expect it. When he sang "sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull, and cut a six inch valley through the middle of my skull"....the goosebumps on my arms, man, oh man...that's what seeing live music is all about.

Right before the encore portion, I slipped down onto the floor level, about 20 rows from the stage, by simply looking at my phone and acting busy as I walked past security. Was down there for Thunder Road and Born to Run and Glory Days. 

Amazing show, amazing band, amazingly poor job by security 😄

!!!!!! WTAF. Logic you are my HERO LMAO snuck into the Springsteen show? Got to see it in the freakin floor seats for free..

 

I hate you so hard 😜.......but man Im giving that some serious PROPS. Save that money for a trip back to WNY ✔️

 

BOOM. hahahaaa m

[Gugny]

On 3/17/2023 at 6:38 PM, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I’m SO excited to see Counting Crows with my wife AGAIN on 7/5 at SPAC 😒😔

I think my girlfriend wants to go to Guns n Roses at SPAC. 

 

Lawn seats are $102. 
 

 

[Just Jack]

The Cure makes TM give small refunds due to high service fees

 

Ticketmaster offers small refund, lower fees for Cure fans : NPR

Quote

 

One cure — or a treatment, at least — for high Ticketmaster fees turns out to be The Cure frontman Robert Smith, who said he was "sickened" by the charges and announced Thursday that Ticketmaster will offer partial refunds and lower fees for The Cure tickets moving forward.

"After further conversation, Ticketmaster have agreed with us that many of the fees being charged are unduly high," Smith tweeted. Smith said the company agreed to offer a $5-10 refund per ticket for verified fan accounts "as a gesture of goodwill."

 

 

My $60 ticket for Madison Square Garden had $20 in fees tacked on.  I saw one person posting their $19 ticket in Cleveland had a $22 fee. 

[The Poojer]

FWIW, any Yes fans out there, i just saw Rick Wakeman last wednesday as he opened his latest tour.  What an absolutely fun show.  Just him and a couple keyboards/pianos, he told jokes and stories between each song(never knew he was such a story teller).  played a solid 90 minutes and ranged from Yes songs, solo stuff, 2 new songs, couple Bowie tunes, Cat Stevens.  If he is coming anywhere near you and you are a Yes fan, i highly recommend seeing him

[Gugny]

12 hours ago, Just Jack said:

The Cure makes TM give small refunds due to high service fees

 

Ticketmaster offers small refund, lower fees for Cure fans : NPR

 

My $60 ticket for Madison Square Garden had $20 in fees tacked on.  I saw one person posting their $19 ticket in Cleveland had a $22 fee. 

 

A $60 ticket for MSG?  Are your seats at the Sbarro across the street?

[Logic]

On 3/19/2023 at 7:09 AM, muppy said:

!!!!!! WTAF. Logic you are my HERO LMAO snuck into the Springsteen show? Got to see it in the freakin floor seats for free..

 

I hate you so hard 😜.......but man Im giving that some serious PROPS. Save that money for a trip back to WNY ✔️

 

BOOM. hahahaaa m

I felt like I quite literally had nothing to lose. If they catch me, they throw me out. No harm, no foul.

I don't know what got into me. It was 20 minutes before showtime and I was sitting on my couch and I thought "nah...to hell with this. I'm gonna go see if I can make something happen". I didn't really even know what "make something happen" meant, but it all fell into place.

I generally consider myself a fairly morally upright person, and stealing is not something I make a habit of. Something tells me that Bruce and Ticketmaster will be okay, though.

[muppy]

3 hours ago, Logic said:

I felt like I quite literally had nothing to lose. If they catch me, they throw me out. No harm, no foul.

I don't know what got into me. It was 20 minutes before showtime and I was sitting on my couch and I thought "nah...to hell with this. I'm gonna go see if I can make something happen". I didn't really even know what "make something happen" meant, but it all fell into place.

I generally consider myself a fairly morally upright person, and stealing is not something I make a habit of. Something tells me that Bruce and Ticketmaster will be okay, though.

 I read your OP about going to the show and winging it was exactly like something I would have done in my younger days. Time plus opportunity equaled a BRILLIANT result and story. Risk vs reward ratio was in your favor as you aptly decided and what a GREAT story I LOVED it.

 

I attempted to see Black Sabbath once back in the day on the fly showed up without tickets and we came up Squat.  As my luck has it now a days if we want to go to a show it may likely be someone we know performing. Either n a grand scale like MGMT or smaller with local homey buddies of my son. Either way going to rock shows for free RULES.   Or if to show support for their music we pay for that reason.

 

 

 

 

[Just Jack]

7 hours ago, Gugny said:

 

A $60 ticket for MSG?  Are your seats at the Sbarro across the street?

 

Bar stool seats, last row of one of the 200 sections 

 

 

 

Loreena McKennitt is going on tour, might go see her in Albany in October if @Gugny will be my date.

 

Performance - Loreena McKennitt

 

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Just Jack

[T&C]

I've never heard of this place... at least they tell you they are tribute bands ahead of time. 

 

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/concerts/2023/03/new-upstate-ny-concert-to-celebrate-50th-anniversary-of-1973-summer-jam.html?fbclid=IwAR28B8YbLvoZG9wXJj1e16qbZFuuLD4qdoIbKJI3xqbUSZwD5gMMVBK-osM

[Gugny]

2 hours ago, BUFFALOBART said:

SPAC was my favorite venue, when it was run by the state. You could go to a ticket window, and ask for (Subscriber) 'Cancellations'. - Saw many GREAT shows there, between the '70's, and '90's.

You could always find a great seat for face value.

Nowadays, you are corralled around like cattle, and I paid $36 for two beers @ a James Taylor show.

I said 'that's it'. Never again..

Interestingly, Tanglewood, just over the Mass. line, does not have these issues, with treating customers like sh¡t.

I went to a couple SPAC shows last summer and got lawn seats. I’ve never been a fan of lawn seats, but these were more social events with friends and I wasn’t gonna pay indoor seating prices. 
 

Im only 52 and I remember when lawn seats were a standard $9 for all shows. Man, are those days gone. 
 

I’d actually like to see G-n-R, but spending $100 for a lawn seat just seems wrong. Very wrong. 

[Draconator]

Peter Gabriel just announced for Buffalo in September. Would consider it. 

[Just Jack]

Peter Gabriel, Friday Sept 22nd.  If there’s a Bills game that weekend, could be a fun, long, weekend. 
 

https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00005E6FA5942FE5

Edited March 21, 2023 by Just Jack

[Sweet Lou]

 My wife and I are going to see Bryan Adams on June 13, @ Key Bank Arena.

 

Can’t believe no one has mentioned this one.  He puts on a great show and his voice is still the same.

[muppy]

46 minutes ago, Sweet Lou said:

 My wife and I are going to see Bryan Adams on June 13, @ Key Bank Arena.

 

Can’t believe no one has mentioned this one.  He puts on a great show and his voice is still the same.

He is a guy whose career definitely has had legs to be touring now when his hey dey was back in the 80's. I saw him at Red Rocks amphitheater with The Hooters in the early 80's somewhere. Id have to google the exact date.

 

When I saw him he was all blue jeans white t shirts and ray bans sunglasses,  later his style went to Rock Glam Gold lame pants with  slicked back hair.......who knows what style he is doing these days. I bet it will be a fun show with hopefully some other age groups representing than just baby boomers.

Edited March 26, 2023 by muppy

[f0neguy]

Once in a while we go to SPAC and sit outside the gates in the state park.  You can’t see the stage but the sound is good and you bring whatever stuff you want in a cooler (like Tanglewood) You’re also by the tour busses and once in a while the artists stop out and say hi.  $100+ for lawn seats is stupid.

[T&C]

On 3/21/2023 at 10:38 AM, Just Jack said:

Peter Gabriel, Friday Sept 22nd.  If there’s a Bills game that weekend, could be a fun, long, weekend. 
 

https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/00005E6FA5942FE5

Only saw him once... at Kleinhans in 1978... opening band was Echo and the Bunnymen. Had these cloaked people with red eyes walking up the aisles at one point. I don't think he's lost much, one of the timeless artists out there... enjoy enjoy.

[muppy]

1 hour ago, f0neguy said:

Once in a while we go to SPAC and sit outside the gates in the state park.  You can’t see the stage but the sound is good and you bring whatever stuff you want in a cooler (like Tanglewood) You’re also by the tour busses and once in a while the artists stop out and say hi.  $100+ for lawn seats is stupid.

we sat in the parking lot for a show in Mesa AZ I'll never forget it. It was STEEL PULSE and they were on full blast. We heard it great from the parking lot of the Mesa Amphitheater. GREAT venue. I wonder if it still exists.

 

edit: YEP it most certainly does! Mesa Amphitheatre - they host shows to this day. All kinds.

Edited March 26, 2023 by muppy