The closest you sat to a performer at a concert?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Jerryb, Jul 26, 2008.

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  1. Jerryb

    Jerryb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I saw Graham Parker last Saturday at The Turnng Point in New York and I sat about 3 feet away from him. After listening to someone constantly for over 30 years it's a wierd but good feeling to be so close as they perform. Very surreal.
     
  2. jon9091

    jon9091 Master Of Reality

    Location:
    Midwest
    Paul Weller. Stood directly in front of him (there was only seating in the balcony of this particular venue). Couldn't have been more than 5 feet. Awesome.
     
  3. aoxomoxoa

    aoxomoxoa I'm an ear sitting in the sky

    Location:
    USA
    In 1986 I was 10 feet below Bob Dylan at the Rubber bowl. The Dead & Tom Petty were there too. I was under the influence of some rather mind altering substance, if I remember correctly. Dyln sand "To Ramona" solo and his head blocked the sun, when he moved his head slightly the sun blinded my eyes. One of those things you never forget.
     
  4. MJConroy

    MJConroy Senior Member

    Location:
    East Coast
    I wa about 6 feet from Graham Parker a year ago. Great show!!
    The guy has not lost a step on cd or on stage. His last cd was great.

    There is such a thing as being too close:
    1. At one Smithereens show at the Ramshead I was sitting by the stage and had to duck whenever Mike Mesaros rotated his bass towards the audience.
    2. At a Refreshments concert at the 9:30 club, Roger Clyne got pretty sweaty and I got sprayed a bit, being front and center.
     
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  5. mark f.

    mark f. Senior Member

    Stood directly in front of the Searchers in the 80s at the Chestnut Cabaret in Philly. One last appearances of the long-standing configuration of that band.
     
  6. Remurmur

    Remurmur Music is THE BEST! -FZ

    Location:
    Ohio
    Sometime in the late 80's or early 90's (not sure exactly when now) my wife and I saw Jorma Kaukonen at a small club in Columbus, Ohio (the much missed Staches and Little Brothers for any Columbusites here) . We arrived early and had a table close to the front of the stage. A group of young Deadhead types came in and decided that they wanted to sit on the floor directly in front of the small stage. The owner of the club was pretty cool and did not seem to mind.

    As they were close enough to us to talk to, we starting chatting about music while we waited for Jorma. I guess we hit it off with them as one of them said "Why don't you sit down here with us?" It seemed like a good idea to me and my wife did not care so I ended up sitting directly in front of the stage. When Jorma came out and sat down, I could have reached out and touched his foot. That's how close.

    I had an excellent view of his fingers while he worked his guitar. And he seemed to enjoy having us so close to him.

    It was one of my magic live music nights.
     
  7. thebeatles67

    thebeatles67 Forum Resident In Memoriam

    A few come to mind:

    Wings --Largo MD- May 76--directly in front of Denny Laine and maybe 10-12feet from McCartney, the Live and Let Die explosion nearly blinded me as it was within a few feet.

    Springsteen- July 31 78--2nd row

    Recent ones--
    Lindsay Buckingham Mar 2007 Myrtle Beach SC House of Blues-2nd row
    Aimee Mann- Handlebar Greenville SC 2006-- front row-played a song from my request
    Steve Earle and The Dukes-Handlebar Greenville SC 2006-directly under Steve
    Poco-front row 3-4 years ago
     
  8. Doug Sclar

    Doug Sclar Forum Legend

    Location:
    The OC
    Oh gosh, when I used to mix stage monitors I was pretty close to whoever was on my side of the stage.

    As far as shows I wasn't working, I sat in the first row for the Yes 'Union' tour stop at the Forum and that had a rotating stage. I was also on the stage for much of the Yes show at the SD Sports Arena in 1974. I wasn't officially working that show, but was invited by the band and worked for free heping set up the sound and stage.

    I was often a backstage guest at many shows I wasn't actually working because I knew so many other people in the business.
     
  9. Bill Pafford

    Bill Pafford Hyperactive!

    Location:
    Surveyor, WV
    I saw Todd Rungren in 1974, Mobile Al. , had front row center seats. My girlfriend headed for the ladies room and Todd jumped down from the stage and set in her seat, right beside me. He started clapping and shouting at the band, which was Utopia, "Boogie, Boogie, play some rock and roll". He grabbed me, shook my hand, said "Far out man", and headed back to the stage.
     
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  10. mrbillswildride

    mrbillswildride Internet Asylum Escapee 2010, 2012, 2014

    Roy Harper's first west coast show in years and years, at McCabes, 1997, I was front row, center, about five feet, could see up his nostrils!!1 and I think he spit on me!!! I was in Harper Hog Heaven...:goodie: :righton: :shake: ;)
     
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  11. nosticker

    nosticker Forum Guy

    Location:
    Ringwood, NJ
    I've done sound for Graham at some small acoustic shows, so you could say microns. When I did the show, I was about as close as a stage monitor.

    I saw the Barenaked Ladies at a Regis and Kelly show in 2003, and I was as physically close as the seats would allow. I probably could have loosened one of Tyler's cymbal stands. Weird.



    Dan
     
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  12. Remurmur

    Remurmur Music is THE BEST! -FZ

    Location:
    Ohio
    I saw Roger McGuinn on the Back From Rio tour and got to the Rock hall early so I had the prime spot directly in front of him . It was a fairly high stage but I was so close I could place my beer on the stage and have it right next to his mike stand. So, I was able to look right up at him as he was performing.

    He must have noticed that I was intently watching his fingers a lot and every once in awhile, he would look directly down at me and give me a quick smile.

    For a star struck fan, that was a mere block away from heaven for me!...:)
     
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  13. music4life

    music4life Senior Member

    Location:
    South Elgin, IL
    Front row for Journey 1980 at the Rosemont Horizon near Chicago, about 10 feet in front of Neil Schon. My friends and I were *ahem* passing something back and forth, and he kept giving us the "thumbs up", and smiling at us.

    Eddie Money at Danny Serephine's B'Ginnings in 1980. Not more then a few feet away from him.

    The Guess Who, in 2001 at the Rosemont Theater. Probably 10 feet or so in front of Randy Bachman.

    The Raspberries in 2005 at HOB in Chicago. Stood directly in front of Wally Bryson who handed me a guitar pick, and signed my Raspberries CD that was sitting on the edge of the stage.

    Liz Phair in 2004 at HOB in Chicago (again). The stage was about 4 1/2 feet high, andn I stood right in front of her. In fact, I reached up and placed my hand on her boot. She just smiled at me, and let me keep there for half of the song...*sigh* lol

    The closest and most exciting though was The Knack at a local ribfest in 2001. Berton Averre was so close to my buddy and I, we watched in amazement, as his guitar was literally in our faces. Probably not more than 3-4 feet...

    I've also been to local fests during the summer months, where I could've literally reached out and touched a couple of them. John Waite directly in front o
     
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  14. PROG U.K.

    PROG U.K. Audiophile-Anglophile

    Location:
    New England
    Last weekend front row for Mark Knopfler. Two handshakes. It was amazing.
     
  15. Doug Sclar

    Doug Sclar Forum Legend

    Location:
    The OC
    One of my first pro gigs ever was a weekend talent showcase on the Queen Mary for college bookers in 1975 and Roger McGuinn was one of the acts I worked with.

    I've told this story here before, but I was mixing his monitors. I had a phenominal system to work with and Roger told me to make sure his monitors screamed. I told him they would and he gave me a 'yeah right' look.

    I rode his gain the best I could and at one point he kind of screamed into the mic. The monitors were so loud with that scream that he had to back away. He gave me a shocked look and a thumbs up like I'll never forget. :righton:

    I should add that I've worked with lots of big musicians but this show with Roger was one of my career highlights. I guess it was because he was in the Byrds and now I was working with him. It was also very early in my career. Most of the acts I ended up working with were current acts but the Byrds were from my youth. Heck, it was almost working with an ex Beatle.
     
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  16. Jerryb

    Jerryb Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I'm jealous.
     
  17. JamieC

    JamieC Senior Member

    Location:
    Detroit Mi USA
    75 Bob Seger was playing at the Jackson County Fair and Petunia Festival(no exaggeration)after Live Bullet but before Night Moves. I had a standing room ticket, started in the back by the grandstand, and worked my way around to the left hand side of the stage 5 feet from Bob and right in front of the huge PA speakers. My ears rang for 2 days but I wouldn't have traded it for a million er, a hundred bucks. lol
     
  18. RobertKaneda

    RobertKaneda New Member

    Location:
    Paris, France
    On June 9, 1972, at the Hollywood Palladium, I was about two feet from the stage at a Stones concert. No seating, we were all standing. It was LOUD, but not as loud as Stevie Wonder, who opened for them.

    In the early 70s I saw Wendy Waldman at the Ash Grove or Troubadour (I forget which) in Los Angeles and sat at a table right in front of her, about as close as someone sitting opposite you at a dinner table.

    Same thing for Cassandra Wilson a couple of years ago at Blues Alley in Washington, DC.

    In the latter two cases, it was disconcerting to be so close to the performer. Any eye contact tended to make raise one's self-consciousness (theirs as well as mine), and it would probably have been more enjoyable for me to have been a little farther away. At the Stones show, none of these concerns arose.
     
  19. Almost Simon

    Almost Simon Forum Resident

    Front row for Clapton at the Albert Hall in 1992, fanclub pre-order tickets. Great gig. :righton:
     
  20. Radiotron

    Radiotron Tube Designer

    Location:
    Montreal, Canada
    Front row for REM at the Montreal Forum in '95. Monster tour. It was LOUD!
     
  21. -=Rudy=-

    -=Rudy=- ♪♫♪♫♫♪♪♫♪♪ Staff

    Location:
    US
    9th row, aisle seat, for Peter Gabriel in '03. When they did "Solsbury Hill", they made the trip, with instruments, up and down the aisles, with the band and Peter giving "fives" to those who were at the ends of the aisles. :wave:

    I could also say Yellowjackets, too, but I do some work for them, and usually hang out on or near the stage when they're on. Doesn't count. :D
     
  22. zen archer

    zen archer Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston Ma.usa
    At the Regattabar in Cambridge MA. sat right in front of Elvin Jones drums ...POWERFUL !

    Also sat a little behind the left arm of Tootie Heath , it was like i was playing drums . A joy
    to watch that up close to such a great drummer, it was amazing.

    Also right at the front of the Stage for Sinead O'Connor at her american debut at the Paradise in Boston....probably 3 feet away.
     
  23. Doug Sclar

    Doug Sclar Forum Legend

    Location:
    The OC
    Just thought of another few I attended as a fan.

    In 1971 I was first row in front of the stage for The Who at the SD Sports Arena.

    In 1973 I was about as close for Steely Dan and Focus at the Hollywood Paladium.

    I was also front row at the Roxy for the Zappa live album.

    Finally, I was front row at the Troubadour in 1971 for James Taylor and Carole King and a few years later for Martin Mull (and his fabulous furniture) and Captain Beefheart.

    All of the above were absolutely awesome experiences.
     
  24. peelmeanemma

    peelmeanemma New Member

    Location:
    Liverpool
    October 1998. The Lomax in Liverpool.

    Over a year before they finally hit the "big time" in the UK and Europe, I witnessed and enjoyed the fascinating talent that is Roisin Murphy fronting Moloko. She was a footstep away and during quieter moments I swear I heard her unamplified voice simultaneously with the amplified output.

    Still the best gig I ever saw and an incredible performer!
     
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  25. cjay

    cjay Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florence, Italy
    I was in the Action House on Long Island, aged 18 in 1967, when The Doors played two nights there. The only thing separating me from Jim Morrison those nights was a flat chrome strip on the floor demarking the 'stage' from the 'dance floor'. And speaking with them at the bar between sets.

    cj
     
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