From The Archives: A Sampling of Concert Memorabilia
I guess I was feeling nostalgic when I decided to start digging through my music collection and stumbled upon a few ticket stubs and assorted concert memorabilia. This collection mostly consists of ticket stubs and some random items. I wish I had kept the concert t-shirts in decent shape but that wouldn’t have been practical although I think I had a couple that were fairly badass. Do people still collect concert ticket stubs as a souvenir or is that a sign of a hoarder? Hopefully, it’s the former and not so much the latter.
After seeing The Flaming Lips in 1999, I attended a meet and greet with an amiable Wayne Coyne and we discussed the Star Wars Prequel until what seemed like forever. He signed my concert flat in true Wayne fashion.
Is this legal? I mean, isn’t it against the law to deface currency? I saw Scott Weiland and Daniel Lanois in 1998 and it was a long night. Granted, I got into the show for free so I shouldn’t complain although Daniel Lanois was insufferable. After he opened for Scott Weiland, he started flirting with some 19-year-old girls, in turn, stealing my fire. When he wasn’t wowing the girls about producing Bob Dylan and U2, he would go on about his Italian denim jeans for what seemed to be an eternity.
Needless to say, the girls weren’t impressed with Lanois’ haughty ways because they were ready for the after party to meet Scott Weiland. At the after party, Weiland was signing t-shirts and girl’s chests so I scrambled to get something for him to sign. The only thing that I could come up at a moment’s notice was a dollar bill because my chest wasn’t that impressive. Weiland begrudgingly signed the dollar and mumbled something before he staggered off into the darkness.
Here’s a couple of setlists.
The first one is from The National’s Boxer Tour and the second one was swiped from a Black Keys date. I can’t remember exactly when though, so how’s that for accuracy?
Ticket stubs are usually how I remember I attended a concert unless they’re washed in the next day’s laundry.
Tour Books
I had the misfortune to see U2 twice on their Popmart Tour. The first time I saw the tour I was in Columbus, Oh and I can’t remember a thing from it. I guess it was a good time. The second time I saw the tour, I was almost killed by a group of thugs who were driving a stolen car and rear ended me in front of a police officer. Since then, I have not seen U2 in concert. I think it was an omen.
I know I was there. I saw Neil Young and Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp perform. I wish I could forget about the others.
I believe that this was the last real tour R.E.M. did with the original lineup. I’m glad they didn’t play too much of the Monster material. The night we saw them Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon overdosed, thereby making this concert even more memorable for a child of the nineties.
