20. JJ Lin
Marathon Concert, December 23, 2006
Jiangwan Stadium, Shanghai, PRC
At this point in history, JJ Lin (Lin Jun Jie, 林俊杰) was my favorite Mandarin singer. When it was announced that he was included in a jaw-dropping "marathon" concert that included my favorite Taiwanese rock group F.I.R., up-and-coming boy band Fahrenheit, pop tarts Evonne Hsu and Wang Rong, and Taiwanese pop legend David Tao, my friends and I scrambled for tickets. The show was indeed a marathon, stretching from noon into the late hours of the freezing December night. Our accumulated excitement was ignited when JJ took the stage, culminating in some inspired insanity that involved a lot of blood-curdling screaming (us) and petrified stares (locals nearby). It didn't matter if we were the only people standing on our seats or making noise; waving glow sticks is not what we do at concerts. Much like the yearly events that American radio stations organize during the holidays, this was no less epic. Shanghai hasn't seen anything of this Mando-pop magnitude since.
Sorry ladies, show's over...September 29, 2000
Eastern States Expo, Springfield, MA, USA
This show, which really wasn't a concert so much as a well-timed PR stunt to get Mandy Moore into the hearts and wallets of American teenagers, deserves special mention. Not only was it held in the center of a classic American fairground -- fried dough, candy apples and pony rides aplenty -- but out in the boonies of Western Massachusetts. It took some dedicated effort to convince my mate, who was much too gracious to say no to a potentially embarrassing situation. And what a situation it was. I don't even remember what songs she sang ("Candy" had to be in there), but when her set was complete, she was whisked off the stage into a nearby limousine. And as her car drove by, I thrust my camera into her backseat window and snapped a photo of her luscious blond locks. It was my finest paparazzi moment.
18. Rammstein
Mutter World Tour, July 18, 2001
Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, NY, USA
I drove down to New Jersey to join up with some college metalhead friends for the huge summer Rammstein gig in the city. When we got to the ballroom, we realized we forgot the tickets back in New Jersey. Thank god for parents. A couple years prior, I had seen them closer to home without any ticket mishaps, experiencing the full circus that is their famous live show, which included a ridiculous amount of pyro, flame throwers, laser beams, S&M weaponry and simulated sodomy with a gigantic, squirting dildo. My best friend got an unforgettable pop shot that night, something he won't soon forget. For this gig, things were different. Just as theatric, but with the bigger budget that comes with more success, the Rammstein show was transformed into a psychotic sci-fi laboratory that was more horror and doom than perversion and fake cocks. Pummeling us with mountains of riffs and irresistible melodies, the German techno metal monsters made Hammerstein shake. Ending the show with their cover of "Pet Semetary" (thank god for YouTube), an encore ensemble that included surviving members of the Ramones and one of the Misfits, it was an inspired melding past and present, Europe and America, punk and metal. After the show, we met Jerry Only (Misfits) in the parking lot. As the hulking demon in make-up drove away in a green Saturn station wagon, I had to quietly thank Rammstein for one of the most absurdly unforgettable evenings of my life.
17. American Hi-Fi
February 21, 2003
Webster Theater, Hartford, CT, USA
Crammed into the tiny Webster Theater in a quiet neighborhood in Hartford, a mixed group of Taiwanese and Japanese exchange students and a couple of us Americans enjoyed five bands for only $5 bucks. Though the show received the most buzz for being one of the first gigs that a young band called Evanescence would play after finding success with a song called "Bring Me To Life," my dearest memories are from the American Hi-Fi set. Front and center in the pit, we jumped and pushed and dodged crowd surfer boots and fists for the entire time, happy and carefree as we jammed to the simple pop-rock gems. I hoped that my foreign friends enjoyed their first American concert as much as I enjoyed sharing it with them.
UMass family, c. 200316. Oasis
Dig Out Your Soul World Tour, April 5, 2009
Singapore Indoor Stadium, Singapore
This gig is notable for extremes. Flying to Singapore (after the Shanghai show was canceled) to see not only one of the hugest bands on the planet, but also one of the bands on my "MUST SEE BEFORE DEATH" list. After hours of waiting in line, we rushed to the head of the floor section to secure positions mere rows from the stage. But as soon s the first chords of opener "Rock and Roll Star" blared through the speakers, things got a little hectic and I thought I was going to fulfill some sort of sick prophecy and DIE now that I had "seen" Oasis. The crowd was sick, nearing late '90s nu-metal proportions, and I almost got trampled to death. Escaping the scrum to the safety of the sidelines, I could enjoy the rest of the show like everyone else smart enough to have avoided the pit in the first place. But something wasn't right. The songs were there, the band was playing, but it wasn't what I had dreamt about. I'm glad I saw them before they broke up a few months later, but this show will be memorable not for how awesome it was, but for how disappointing. Perhaps it was my fault for building it up over almost 15 years of fandom. Or perhaps because Liam is a twat.
Yes, you, Liam. You are a twat.
We've Just Been ViolatedOctober 15, 2003
Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, NY, USA
Although I was alone, I thoroughly enjoyed this show. Perhaps because I was flying solo, it felt so different. After classes, I rushed downtown to join the mob of bandwagon hipsters that had descended upon the ballroom for Interpol's homecoming show. A year before, I had almost missed them in Boston because of a snowstorm, getting stuck in the back of the club as a penalty for being so late. This time, I was front and center. Though they were still touring their debut album, they blessed us with new tracks that would go on to become "Narc" and "Evil" from their sophomore effort, Antics. We were hearing them for the first time, before the world would subsequently dub them classics of the '00s indie decade.
14. Sasha
November 4, 2005
VIP Room, Shanghai, PRC
For a complete idea of why this show was so unforgettable, read here. Seeing him spin almost 3 years later, I could finally sweat through the complete sonic experience, which was an unforgettable workout. But nothing compares to the pounding surge of house beats in your ear drums as you spend a blood-soaked night in the emergency room.
13. Celine Dion
Taking Chances World Tour, April 11, 2008
Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai, PRC
I'll forgive the chuckles and derisive laughter now, as I stand by my assertion that Celine Dion puts on one of the best shows around. And it is purely due to her voice. Every song, every hit (you'd recognize more than you realize) was pitch perfect. I felt like I was listening to the radio. In such a cold and empty venue as Shanghai Stadium, her voice filled every corner, every empty seat and all of my aching heart. And don't even get me started on what happened when she whipped out the Titanic song. Even though we could barely see her from our seats in the back, we could hear her every note. And that was all that mattered.
Amazing seats...12. The White Stripes
April 20, 2003
Orpheum Theater, Boston, MA, USA
High atop the rickety balcony of Boston's historic Orpheum Theater, my cousin and I shared one of our most unforgettable concert experiences with our favorite band (at that particular moment), the White Stripes. Though there were only two of them, they almost rocked the theater into a pile of rubble. Between Meg's laughable drumming and Jack White's insane guitar skills, the entire theater was bouncing up and down in unison. The balcony was actually moving under our feet. But the threat of death wasn't enough to distract me. The red-black-and-white duo on the small stage before us were worth the risk
11. Incubus
March 13, 2008
Yunfeng Theater, Shanghai, PRC
Usually, if a band member as important as the bassist falls ill, a group might cancel the gig. For their first ever concert in Shanghai, Incubus decided to forge ahead acoustic. Thus, in a chance twist of luck, we were treated to a unique and unforgettable show, an intimate and private audience with a severely underrated band. For one night, the band was ours. I had seen them with Deftones back in 2000, when every lush layer of the band could be fully appreciated. Yet I'll never forget the stripped down versions of my favorite songs, in Shanghai, of all places. Incubus, kinda unplugged, the most welcome surprise of my concert year.
10. Fucked Up
March 21, 2009
Logo Bar, Shanghai, PRC
This was one of the most disgusting shows I've ever been to. Not only was it held in the dankest and filthiest "club" in all of Shanghai (seriously, this place smells like an unwashed jock strap), but the air conditioner was weak and the crowd was soaked through with foul sweat and spilled whisky. It felt like an old fashioned basement show. To top it off, Fucked Up's lead singer, the charming Pink Eyes, is a massive beast of a man that perspires like a champ. And he was wearing nothing but underwear. Oh and the PA was busted. But I'm seldom fortunate enough to be at the center of something so visceral, primitive and raw. The band was spilling off the low stage into the audience, standing at the same level as the freaks in the pit. At one point, they stopped and asked for a song request. I had the feeling I was one of the few actual fans in the house (no offense, posers), so I screamed out my choice as loud as I could. Pink Eyes looked at me and smiled, then the band launched into "Crooked Head." That, and meeting him after the show, totally made my night.
Yes, I Just Lost My Lunch, Too9. The Rolling Stones
A Bigger Bang World Tour, April 8, 2006
Shanghai Grand Stage, Shanghai, PRC
Shanghai has seen its fair share of mega icons pass through the city in recent years (Eric Clapton, James Brown, Obama), but the arrival of the Rolling Stones received a mix reaction. Would Keith Richards be able to smuggle his drugs through customs? Would they even live to see that concert date? Would locals pay such high prices to see a gang of decrepit sacks of bones play outdated classic rock? Our group of American youngsters could only afford nosebleed seats, actually filling out the very last row at the back. So when a Stones roadie came up to collect bodies to fill the embarrassingly empty sections near the front of the stage, we couldn't believe our luck. From a vantage point that would have made Mick and the boys about an inch tall, we were thrust into spots where we could actually see the thousands of collective wrinkles on stage before us. Even though they were all pushing 70, they put on such a high caliber show that would put younger bands to shame. Mick writhed like a horny snake and had more hypersexual energy in his tiny frame than a basketball team at an away game. Rollicking through hit after monster hit, we could barely contain ourselves. I almost tore the seats out of the floor in a primal rage, fully taken over like a wild man by this balls out rock and roll. After the concert, we spilled into the Shanghai night singing Stones tunes at tops of our lungs, stretching our battered throats to the limits. We didn't want that feeling to ever go away.
Ni hao, Mr. Jagger8. Faithless
Yue Festival, October 5, 2007
Zhongshan Park, Shanghai, PRC
On a clear autumn night in downtown Shanghai, lights from surrounding skyscrapers illuminating the heavens, Faithless headlined a modest little festival held in a grassy clearing at the center of one of the city's biggest public parks. From the front rows, my friends and I danced away to a thumping mix of throbbing, old-fashioned UK house fronted by the bald and gangly Maxi Jazz. Like a mad preacher, he turned that field into a straight tent revival, connecting to the crowd in glorious unity, especially on their biggest hit, "God is a DJ" ("This is my church, this is where I heal my hurts... tonight, God is a DJ"). However it wasn't until they closed the set with "We Come 1" that I understood the unifying power of their music. The drunken Brits stopped picking fights, the slobbering exchange students put down their drinks, the ambivalent locals stopped talking over the music. With everyone in the crowd jumping up and down, fingers raised in the air, joined by the music in that brief span of time, I felt so much joy my heart wanted to explode. A glorious revelation to restore faith to anyone.
7. Dave Matthews Band
September 24, 2003
Central Park, New York, NY, USA
Skipping grad classes and office work for the afternoon, my friends and I waited for over an hour on Central Park West with throngs of other fans eager to get a spot at the front of the Great Lawn for this historic show, which would prove to be DMB's biggest audience ever. Tickets for this AOL-sponsored benefit were free, but you had to win them. To win them, you had to first find random AOL folks on the streets of the city and try your luck by pulling tickets from a stack of potential duds. Luckily, after days of coordinated efforts and loitering on street corners, we cobbled together enough tickets and were set for history. From start to finish, the nearly three-hour marathon was a non-stop jam of hits, covers (here and here) and special guests (Warren Haynes of the Allman Brothers and Mayor Bloomberg). This wasn't hippie bullshit, but one of the tightest rock and roll bands in the world. Not since Woodstock '99 had I been at the front of a crowd so massive. Fortunately there were no fires and destruction here, just the biggest block party the city saw that year.
Perfect NYC Night
DMB Can Do No Wrong6. Radiohead/Bat For Lashes
June 25, 2008
Victoria Park, London, UK
As if seeing Radiohead in a giant field in southern London were not sweet enough, you top it off with an opening slot by Bat For Lashes and it is the 2-for-1 deal of the year. Nestled at the center of an amazing trip to England and Scotland, the sold-out gig was the second of a two-night, hometown residency, part of a summer European tour showcasing Radiohead's recent album, In Rainbows, which they played in its entirety. Of the two nights, we were the ones that got "Paranoid Android", for which I am eternally grateful to the universe. But to be honest, the most religious moment for me came during Bat For Lashes set. Awash in the warm glow of the late afternoon sun, the wind blowing Natasha Khan's robes and hair, the strains of her electric medieval tunes floated over the crowd like a potent spell. For a moment, I was transported to a land of knights and unicorns, which, as ridiculous as that sounds, sticks in the mind more than getting moshed to death by hyperactive OK Computer fans.
Goodbye, Radiohead
Natasha Khan, Bat For LashesViva La Vida World Tour, February 14, 2009
Kobe Kinen World Hall, Kobe, Japan
The lead up to this show was too much to handle. After waiting almost a year to witness the Viva La Vida monster, the day was finally upon us. In Japan, near Osaka (Kobe) and on Valentine's Day, no less. The day was unforgettable, but the show itself was epic. Even though our seats were further away than we had hoped, it was every bit the religious experience we had prayed for. Swarms of butterflies, the famous "Yellow" balls, huge singalongs and joyous dancing in the aisles. Would it have been any better from the floor? Maybe. But it was good enough all the same without having to wonder about what ifs.
4. nine inch nails
Fragility v2.0 Tour, May 3, 2000
Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI, USA
The first time you see your favorite musician, one of two things can happen. You will have either built up the experience so much in your little head that it all comes crashing down when it doesn't live up to the hype, leaving you so disappointed you want to kill yourself onstage in front of the audience, or, it is a mind-bending revelation. After devoting over six years of my aural life to this band, I finally got to see the famous recluse and his misfit band of marauding musicians on their first tour in over three years. A large group of us went, all die hards, many of whom had been waiting ages to get this first taste. As the first notes of openers A Perfect Circle filled the darkened arena, we made a mad dash from the stands, over the barricade, and onto the floor. Diving past meat-headed security guards, we broke into the mosh pit like a prison break in reverse. One guard managed to get his meaty fingers around my arm, but I squirmed free and was lost in the crowd. God bless those tiny biceps. The rest of the show was spent in front of bassist Danny Lohner, ex-NIN bassist who looks remarkably like Brad Pitt. Though we had all been separated by the heaving wave of stinky bodies in the pit, I was content to experience this on my own, just me and the band. Come to think of it, though I enjoyed the performance, the overall experience was something so much more, which will probably be one of those things I recount to my kids over and over again until they tell me to stop.
3. Muse
Spirit of Taiwan Festival, February 28, 2007
Chung Shan Stadium, Taipei, ROC
Of all places, Muse decided to include Taiwan on its Black Holes and Revelations tour, which was cemented into history with the HAARP concert recorded at Wembley. And we were eternally grateful for this. Even stranger, they were the headliners for this Taiwan Pride event backed by Ah-Bian and the DPP. So extremely random. After a string of unknown local and foreign talent, Muse took the stage and I lost my fucking mind. I almost fainted during the first song from expending all of myself. To my delight, the local fans were more subdued, so I didn't have to worry about being moshed to death. They are rock superheroes and, that night, I felt just as confident, strong and powerful.
2. Coldplay
Twisted Logic Tour, July 10, 2006
Singapore Indoor Stadium, Singapore
Taking the first of what would become many international concert trips, my friend and I proved we were dedicated (and crazy) Coldplay fans, flying all the way to Singapore for a taste of our favorite band. Waiting for hours in the disgusting humidity of the Singaporean summer just to get a spot at the front, we were successful and enjoyed a perfect, sweat-soaked night. The pure joy and elation at the center of that massive sing-a-long was ineffable. We were so close Chris Martin could drip on us. When all was said and done, we were completely dried out by sweat and tears. Italy even won the World Cup. It was a perfect weekend.
The Suckers Stuck Behind Us
Unplugged Time
Count The Chris Martins
Pop Goes The "Yellow" Balloon1. nine inch nails
Beijing Pop Festival, September 9, 2007
Chaoyang Park, Beijing, PRC
Of all my collective memories from the hundreds of concerts I've had the honor of attending over the years, this show is one of the most special. The Beijing Pop Festival, one of the most eclectic line-ups ever. Over two days, a mixed crowd of local and expat rock fans tasted the raw power of the Ramones (what's left of them, that is), the classic sleaze of New York Dolls, my first rap obsession Public Enemy, China's own Springsteen, Cui Jian, and the headlining spot by my favorite band in the world, nine inch nails. When they came to the stage after sunset to the cool evening air, the entire crowd was still. The sky was black, there was no wind, and the collective energy of the audience was focused squarely on stage. From the opening chords of "The Beginning of the End" to the standard closer "Hurt," I sung along to every.single.word. Screaming, thrashing, head banging and losing myself in the thrill. Standing on a metal barricade a third of the way into the crowd, I leaned above everyone, the highest point in the audience save for the band. It was me and NIN. Revelers behind me be damned (thanks for your understanding, guys), I stayed perched above everybody for the entire show. Afterward, my shins were bruised, my knees were scratched, and I could not talk. I was dizzy and high from the pure power of that music. My amazing concert partner regretted not recording some footage of my complete loss of mental stability, but some things are best left to the memory banks. I will never forget that show for as long as I live.
Me, Alicia and The 2nd Craziest NIN Fan In AttendanceThe best of the rest: No Doubt, Metallica, Deftones, Marilyn Manson (2000); Aerosmith, Depeche Mode, Bjork, Tori Amos, System of a Down, Slipknot, Poe, Coldplay, The Cranberries (2001); Tool, Sheryl Crow, Queens of the Stone Age, Paul McCartney, The Strokes, Shakira (2002); The Donnas, Juliana Theory, The Datsuns, Brian Wilson, Blur, David Bowie, R.E.M., Wyclef Jean, Jet, The Darkness (2003); Hoobastank, P.O.D., Linkin Park (2004); The Start, Jay Chou, Paul Van Dyk (2005); Backstreet Boys, U2, Maximo Park (2006); The Roots, Ayumi Hamasaki, Christina Aguilera (2007); Club 8, Bjork, Kanye West, Franz Ferdinand, Jay Chou (2008); Jose Gonzalez, Neil Diamond (2009)
And now, to balance out all of that feel-good bubblegum joy, I give you my FAILS of the Decade:
10. The Raveonettes (March 6, 2003) Avalon Ballroom, Boston, MA, USA
Opening for Interpol, we missed them because of a snow storm. I may never get over it.
9. Black Eyed Peas (June 22, 2000) Fleetboston Pavilion, Boston, MA, USA
Opening for No Doubt on the Return of Saturn tour, this was when they still made backpack "conscious" rap music, before blowing up with Fergie.
8. Pink/Lenny Kravitz (July 20, 2002) Tweeter Center, Mansfield, MA, USA
Lenny got sick and, instead of treating the fans who had sat in the sun all afternoon to a quick set, Pink decided she'd sit it out too, the lazy trollop. To their credit, they rescheduled and ticket holders could take another crack at it. But I was busy. Too bad.
7. Alanis Morrissette (December 3, 2001) Fleetcenter, Boston, MA, USA
For this headlining set, poor Alanis got sick. Instead of bailing, she joined Barenaked Ladies onstage for a couple BNL renditions of her hits. The night wasn't a total loss. In fact, it was a stunner because a couple little bands kicked off the show in style: Coldplay and The Cranberries.
6. Eric Clapton (January 20, 2007) Shanghai Grand Stage, Shanghai, PRC
Shoulda gone. I even wrote a piece on it. When he dies, I'm so going to regret this.
5. Beyonce (November 5, 2007) Shanghai Grand Stage, Shanghai, PRC
WHY did I not go to this? Granted, we hadn't yet been introduced to Sasha Fierce, but to see those monumental thighs shaking to "Crazy In Love" would have been worth the ticket price alone.
4. Maroon 5 (March 22, 2008) Shanghai International Gymnastic Center, Shanghai, PRC
Little did I know that a year later I'd be hooked on their album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long. I even escorted my friends to the venue after a pre-concert dinner. Sigh.
3. Coldplay (June 16, 2008) Brixton Academy, London, UK
This failure was epic. Read about it here.
2. Nine Inch Nails (August 12, 2009) Nankang 101, Taipei, ROC
Originally slated to be their last concert ever (as if), it then became their last Asian show "ever." And as luck would have it, the promoters failed to get things set up in time and the band had to cancel a couple days before the show. We should have gone to Singapore for an epic three night jaw-dropper with NIN, Keane, and Lady Gaga.
And all that could have been...1. Kylie Minogue (November 28, 2008) Hongkou Soccer Stadium
After waiting almost a decade to see my pop diva love, she decided to stop by Shanghai a week after I had to leave the country for a home trip. I kicked myself for that early plane ticket for months afterward. Thanksgiving could have waited.
Until 2019, keep on hippin', hoppin', rockin', rollin', groovin' and, of course, jumping.
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