Summer Concert Series

Not a great year for concerts, but nothing to shake a stick at as well. I will mostly talk about the RATM show that I had the privilege to attend at Alpine Valley on 8/24. Rage was the big band that all of us have never seen, the holy grail of live acts.



Rage Against The Machine

A combination of our maiden voyage to Alpine Valley outside of Milwaukee, a great venue, combined with PIT tickets (more on that later) and RATM. Ingredients for the show of the year. It was. Rage was at their crazy, talented, political selves. Tom Morallo continues to be worth the price of admission, he is mesmerizing. How many people can use their guitar cord and it makes sense and sounds awesome?

The crowd was in a frenzy, we were able to procure PIT tickets, so of the 36,000 people at the show, 35,000 were behind us. The PIT was dangerous, intense, and again proved I can still hang in my old age. When Rage would be building the intensity you could prepare yourself for the onslaught. Zack De La Rocha can whip the crowd into a furry unlike anything I have ever, EVER seen before. "Freedom" during the encore will play in my mind for a very long time.

Queens of the Stoneage Opened. Coming off a horrible experience with them when they opened for NIN, they made up for it this time. Good show, the drummer continues to be the hardest working man in show business.







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Kings Of Leon

The critics love this band, they are becoming super popular. A good show, but I expected more, they did not have the intensity and connection with the audience that I am always looking for.



Prince

During his big 7-7-7 day, I was able to get free tickets to his Target Center show, even though I am not very familiar with all his music, it was someone who is considered a great live act. He is. My assumption of Prince is he must be some reclusive freak who is talented. On stage, he has maybe the most charisma of anyone I have ever seen. Great guitar, great vocals, great big ego. Overall a good show, he had a poor ending, but I will not hold that against him.



Dave Matthews Band

He played a work event that I attended, he was also playing alpine the two nights after RATM. At the work event. Two words. Super stoned. Not too into DMB anymore, glad he still shows the benefit of an ensemble with Horns and Violins and stuff, but not into his 21 minute jams.