don't go to concerts much anymore, but just picked up Def Lepp/Tesla/Stynx tix.. taking my guitar teacher.. the poor kid missed the guitar band era completely.. would have seen them last year, but didn't want to sit thru Kiss.. liked Kiss the first 25 years.. the last 15 not so much.
As I go back and listen to my hair rock heroes.. Def Lepp, Halen, and surpisingly Great White tunes stand the test of time much better than Ratt, Dokken, Dio, and Motley Crue. I'm a huge George Lynch (Doken) fan (tied w EVH as my all time fav player) and I'm a pretty serious hack guitar player.. but man some of those Dokken songs were HORRIBLE in hindsight. Interesting that a then 23yo Vivian Campbell (Belfast) plays with Def Lepp.. Vivian was the first big time player I've ever seen.. my first big show was Holy Diver (I think I was 14) tour with Y&T warming up. Other big early show was Van Halen 1984. I'll never forget when the band did I'll Wait.. Michael Anthony played the bass part on one keyboard stage left, and Eddie was stage right, both were above the PA system.. when Mike hit that bass note on the keyboard the volume almost tore the roof off of the old Hemisfair Arena...I mean it literally shook the whole effin place right to the foundation. Probably one of the toughest tix in San Antonio history.. my friend's mom worked at tickemaster.
Funnest show might have been Bon Jovi at Buckeye Lake out in the sunshine with plenty of liquid lubrication. Loudest show was Kiss Lick It Up tour. Despite all the big shows, I had more fun at the Agora (aka Newport Music Hall) in Columbus watching bands like the Bullet Boys and Lynch Mob up front.. there were no chairs and you just pushed your way up. Pink Floyd came to Ohio Stadium and I sold 3 of my 4 tix and made some money.. I remember I left before the encore.. I like Floyd now but hated them in my younger years.. I remember seeing Baltimore's Dirty Looks at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus and a few other bands.. Pantera's Dimebag Darrell was killed at the venue a few years later.. I didn't dig Pantera all that much but my roomate saw Cowboys from Hell show over in that tiny club. I saw Queensryche to Operation Mindcrime and Empire in entirety.
If I could go back in time I would def pay up and see the Hysteria Tours (Def Lep) and Jovi's first HL tour for Slippery When Wet (they started as openers and were on top in no time).. the scenery would have been out in force. Also missed Skid Row who was pretty fierce back in the day. Guns N Roses fell apart before they ever really toured en masse.. for all that influence they played very few shows before Axl's attitude forced the band off the road for good.-sg
As I go back and listen to my hair rock heroes.. Def Lepp, Halen, and surpisingly Great White tunes stand the test of time much better than Ratt, Dokken, Dio, and Motley Crue. I'm a huge George Lynch (Doken) fan (tied w EVH as my all time fav player) and I'm a pretty serious hack guitar player.. but man some of those Dokken songs were HORRIBLE in hindsight. Interesting that a then 23yo Vivian Campbell (Belfast) plays with Def Lepp.. Vivian was the first big time player I've ever seen.. my first big show was Holy Diver (I think I was 14) tour with Y&T warming up. Other big early show was Van Halen 1984. I'll never forget when the band did I'll Wait.. Michael Anthony played the bass part on one keyboard stage left, and Eddie was stage right, both were above the PA system.. when Mike hit that bass note on the keyboard the volume almost tore the roof off of the old Hemisfair Arena...I mean it literally shook the whole effin place right to the foundation. Probably one of the toughest tix in San Antonio history.. my friend's mom worked at tickemaster.
Funnest show might have been Bon Jovi at Buckeye Lake out in the sunshine with plenty of liquid lubrication. Loudest show was Kiss Lick It Up tour. Despite all the big shows, I had more fun at the Agora (aka Newport Music Hall) in Columbus watching bands like the Bullet Boys and Lynch Mob up front.. there were no chairs and you just pushed your way up. Pink Floyd came to Ohio Stadium and I sold 3 of my 4 tix and made some money.. I remember I left before the encore.. I like Floyd now but hated them in my younger years.. I remember seeing Baltimore's Dirty Looks at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus and a few other bands.. Pantera's Dimebag Darrell was killed at the venue a few years later.. I didn't dig Pantera all that much but my roomate saw Cowboys from Hell show over in that tiny club. I saw Queensryche to Operation Mindcrime and Empire in entirety.
If I could go back in time I would def pay up and see the Hysteria Tours (Def Lep) and Jovi's first HL tour for Slippery When Wet (they started as openers and were on top in no time).. the scenery would have been out in force. Also missed Skid Row who was pretty fierce back in the day. Guns N Roses fell apart before they ever really toured en masse.. for all that influence they played very few shows before Axl's attitude forced the band off the road for good.-sg
