Great concerts

Billy Bragg at the Filmore in San Francisco, Freedy Johnston opening (2000). Excellent venue, of course. Very purple. I'm a Freedy fan, too, so attending this concert was a no-brainer. Billy Bragg was tremendous, peppering the performance with socialist commentary and admiration for the World-Cup winning U.S. women's soccer team.

Lush in Dublin (1996). This was an unexpected delight. I was in Dublin on one of those university study abroad two-week courses. A friend that I met on the trip was also heavily into Britpop, so when we saw the flyer for the concert, we got tickets and blew off our night class. Shortly thereafter, the drummer committed suicide and the band split up. So, lucky me.

Morrissey in Lawrence, Kansas (1998). Damn, that man puts on a show, whipping the microphone cord around like a lion tamer. Highlight was the lookalike worshipper who threw flowers, and later himself, on stage.

Oasis in Minneapolis (1995). So cool because we drove eight hours in winter for the concert, which was in the university campus concert hall - such a small venue for the likes of the Second Coming.

Cranberries in Kansas City (1995). The concert was fine, but the truly memorable part was the drive home during which Sam and I were pulled over for speeding. The police searched my car, which was laughable because there was nothing contraband in it except that RIFLE that Sam forgot he had in the trunk. I'll never forget shivering on the side of the road with my hands on the hood of my car, wondering exactly how much trouble I was in, warmed only by the guilt rolling off of Sam in waves.