Steve Haynie Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 2023 was the year to cut back on concert spending. My 2022 total for just tickets, not transportation with parking fees or anything else-- just tickets, astounded me. That got blown to bits because of one show. Here are the acts I saw in 2023: Geoff Tate / Mark Daly Charlie Starr with Benji Shanks / Stevie Tombstone Ace Frehley / Kore Rozzik Supersuckers / Bitterman / Gods of Mars Space Oddity David Bowie Tribute Cheap Trick Eric Gales / King Solomon Hicks KIX / Testarossa Queensrÿche / Marty Friedman / Trauma Atlanta Rhythm Section / Pure Prairie League Living Dead Girl / Black River Rebels / Cutthroat Suzy Alice Cooper Mothers Finest Glenn Miller Orchestra The Turtles / Little Anthony / Gary Puckett & The Union Gap / The Vogues / The Classics IV / The Cowsills Ted Nugent / Mark Farner's American Band / Hillbilly Vegas Bret Michaels / Night Ranger / Jefferson Starship / Mark McGrath / Steve Augeri Supersuckers / The Rumours Ace Frehley / The Fifth Caleb Johnson’s Classic Rock Time Machine Marvin King Revue Dead Boys / Comino / The Bitterman / Chunx Them Dirty Roses / Kyle Kelly Winger / Craig Baldwin Trans-Siberian Orchestra KISS / Amber Wild Bill Kirchen Blackberry Smoke / Robert Jon & The Wreck I could comment on every one of those bands, but here are the things that stood out. Geoff Tate should be in a happy place in life. His band is everything he could ask for. Ace Frehley lost a lot of weight between February and August. His playing has deteriorated a bit over the last few years. I am guessing it is age related. Rick Nielsen was fun on stage, but he was not as "in your face" as in the past. GO SEE ERIC GALES!!! Friends who saw KIX in Charlotte felt Steve Whiteman was not as exciting because his doctors told him not to jump around so much, but at their final show he was jumping around. Loudness could not get in because of pandemic issues, but Marty Friedman had no problem bringing over his band. Atlanta Rhythm Section is a great band even if they are not the classic lineup. Mothers Finest is a must see if you are into 70's hard rock. At least three members on stage are original. Glenn Murdock had to sit out some shows, so Wyzard came back in to sing his parts. Gary Puckett does not act like he is 80. The Cowsills are fun. Ted Nugent's longtime bass player, Greg Smith, had to leave Nugent's band to get a three year contract with the Happy Together tours. I went to three Ted Nugent shows on his final tour. The fire in his playing is always turned up past 11. Mark Farner has a great band, and he plays music he loves. The cock-strutting Mark Farner is no longer on stage, but you see a guy putting on a show. His guitar tone was not that great in my opinion. Hillbilly Vegas is a group of older guys with good music. Jefferson Starship has one classic era member, but they were good. Bret Michaels should learn that it is a bad idea to folllow Night Ranger in concert. Jefferson Starship and Night Ranger were the better parts of the show. Supersuckers are what you need when you want a raw, straight ahead rock band. The Fifth should be bigger than they are. Marvin King is Marcus King's dad. It had been a while since I talked to Marvin. He is one of those great players that gigged for years. I finally got to ask Cheetah Chrome about something I read in Creem Magazine 40+ years ago. Glen Buxton gave him an SG. It was true! It was a brown SG that had been used in the recording of Love It To Death. Cheetah said a roadie accidentally busted it up, and that was back in the days before people were putting guitars in splinters back together. The guitar no longer exists. The Dead Boys singer is too young to have been around when the band was making its way into punk history, but he had a good sense of what made their show work. Them Dirty Roses are among the young Southern Rock bands that I hope get bigger. Reb Beach did one of the coolest guitar solos I have seen in years. I saw the final two KISS shows in NYC. I thought it would feel sad knowing it was over, but the shows were so good that I felt good for the next three weeks. If you see Bill Kirchen without wanting to buy a Telecaster or pick up your own Telecaster afterward you suck. Attending a Blackberry Smoke concert was a perfect way to spend New Year's Eve. They really love playing and jamming which makes the shows that much better. 12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cynic Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 1 hour ago, Steve Haynie said: GO SEE ERIC GALES!!! No fan of guitar music or even live music could receive better advice. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Submariner85 Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 (edited) Mine were: Geoff Tate w/ Mark Daly Queensryche w/ Marty Friedman and Trauma Gojira, Mastodon, Lorna Shore In This Moment, Ice Nine Kills, Avatar, New Years Day we had tickets to Amon Amarth with Ghost but the hurricane cancelled that for us Slowed down a lot after 2022. We did manage to go to Tampa and watch a Rays vs Braves game. Jacksonville Jumbo shrimp games and Jacksonville Icemen games. And one Jaguars game Had 3 surgeries lol Septoplasty Hernia Dupuytren. Edited January 1 by Submariner85 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 I saw quite a few concerts in 2023 as well. Too bad they were all on YouTube. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_S Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 I think I only saw one concert in 2023, but it was one of the best I’ve ever seen: Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew’s Remain In Light 40th anniversary tour. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathman Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 I don't go to a lot of concerts any more but I did see a great one in LA in August. Wanted to see Living Colour for years, and Extreme was just a bonus. Great show. Already have a few set up for 2024. Hope to go to. a few more this year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChugD Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Rammstein in Philadelphia. If I had hair, it would have been burnt. The heat from those flame towers was intense. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathman Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Also, Eric Gale is on the list once I get the chance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stobro Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 16 hours ago, Submariner85 said: Mine were: Geoff Tate w/ Mark Daly Queensryche w/ Marty Friedman and Trauma Gojira, Mastodon, Lorna Shore In This Moment, Ice Nine Kills, Avatar, New Years Day we had tickets to Amon Amarth with Ghost but the hurricane cancelled that for us Slowed down a lot after 2022. We did manage to go to Tampa and watch a Rays vs Braves game. Jacksonville Jumbo shrimp games and Jacksonville Icemen games. And one Jaguars game Had 3 surgeries lol Septoplasty Hernia Dupuytren. My year was four surgeries and zero shows. I'm really getting old. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kizanski Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 18 hours ago, Steve Haynie said: 2023 was the year to cut back on concert spending. That might be more shows than I have seen in my whole life. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svl Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Saw I DON'TKNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME twice (Dallon Weekes is an amazing talent, seeing them again in April), LAKE STREET DIVE twice, MADISON CUNNINGHAM (really interesting guitar playing from this young lady), GOBLIN and I think that's about it. Playing for a living doesn't leave much time to actually see other people play. The big news for me this year is going to see ADAM ANT. Only saw him once (on the Goody Two Shoes tour way back when Jesus was still making furniture and baby pterodactyls were used to play records), pretty stoked after I watched some Utubes of him from the past couple of years, would never guess the dude was 69. Fucking LOVE the genre of "Ant Music", a definite guilty pleasure of mine... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Haynie Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 @Submariner85 I want to like your post, but then I do not want to like all the bad stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shark Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 Frampton and ZZ Top. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbilly Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 the groups I saw in '23 that I would see again: Victor Wooten with his brothers Oz Noy Simon Philips/Protcol The Cult Anthem (Seattle based Rush tribute band) I have a 2nd row table for Marcus Miller in March, that should be good. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy p Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 I would have thought I had seen quite a few more shows than this in 2023, but some I was thinking about were in late 2022. Ace Frehley - I had seen him solo twice before, but I will never see him again. He has gotten progressively worse over the years, and this was one of the worst shows I've ever seen. Hoodoo Gurus - fan-damn-tastic! Had not seen them since 1987. I had tickets for two shows that were cancelled during the pandemic. Already have tickets for another show in September 2024. Andy Summers - not terrible, but I wouldn't go back to see this kind of show again. I think I posted a review here if you're interested. Kix - final show. Bittersweet, of course. One of my favorite bands, but they recognize that there is no money in making albums anymore and several members have had health scares/issues. I've probably seen them 12-15 times and IMO they are the best live band ever, but unfortunately this show was the worst one I've seen them do. They brought out old members throughout the show but the whole thing felt awkward and somehow off (probably due to it being the last show). Zebra - a bucket list band to see live for me. They played on 12/23 at a theater my own bands have played many times. Front row tickets, and they BROUGHT IT! If you've thought about going to see them live, I would advise you to go if they come to your area. I would certainly go again if I got the chance. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stike Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 23 hours ago, Steve Haynie said: Supersuckers are what you need when you want a raw, straight ahead rock band. I first saw them in 1995, big fan-I once got to sit in on a song with them and opened for them another time shortly before Dan Bolton quit and they became a trio. I didn't see them in 2023 but did toward the end of 2022 and left that show fairly disappointed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Haynie Posted January 2 Author Share Posted January 2 1 hour ago, tommy p said: Ace Frehley - I had seen him solo twice before, but I will never see him again. He has gotten progressively worse over the years, and this was one of the worst shows I've ever seen. Zebra - a bucket list band to see live for me. They played on 12/23 at a theater my own bands have played many times. Front row tickets, and they BROUGHT IT! If you've thought about going to see them live, I would advise you to go if they come to your area. I would certainly go again if I got the chance. Your opinion on Ace Frehley is totally understood. Because he is a hero there is a reluctance to say something bad about him. His playing has gone downhill far and fast. His band is top notch, though. Ace totally blew the song Snow Blind in February. No one has posted a video of it on YouTube. Zebra is that band that should be playing bigger venues. They really do still "have it." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy p Posted January 2 Share Posted January 2 2 hours ago, Steve Haynie said: Your opinion on Ace Frehley is totally understood. Because he is a hero there is a reluctance to say something bad about him. His playing has gone downhill far and fast. His band is top notch, though. Ace totally blew the song Snow Blind in February. No one has posted a video of it on YouTube. Zebra is that band that should be playing bigger venues. They really do still "have it." Thanks. I've always been able to state my honest opinion about Ace (and Kiss) because I was never a "fan". I am exactly the age that SHOULD have been but from the first time I heard them I didn't think the songs were that good and when I saw them I thought they were a joke; a kid's band (and I was just a kid myself!). Almost all of my musician friends around my age LOVE them. Sometime in the '90's a friend of mine who knew I was not a fan played me Ace's solo album and I loved that for the meat and potatoes songwriting. This will probably illustrate how little I like Kiss more than anything: my favorite Kiss album is Creatures of the Night and second is Lick It Up. After that, I don't care much about any of them. Vinnie Vincent, baby! lol And you're right - Ace's band held the show together. Ace himself - not so much. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack C Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 As far as I can recall: Bad Religion Frank Turner Bouncing Souls (x2) Alkaline Trio Supersuckers Superchunk Jason Isbell War on Women A pretty good fucking year. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gorch Posted January 3 Share Posted January 3 Great time spent for quite a few concerts at the local Musiktheater Rex and some special locations. Nazareth Whiteshake - Whitesnake cover Demon‘s Eye - Purple cover Laura Cox Fun Halen - Van Halen cover Julian Sas Ron Spielman Trio The Hamburg Bluesband Götz Alsmann Flux mit Thomas Langer Dieburger Orgelmeile - Four organ concerts in four churches 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooks Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 On 1/1/2024 at 2:32 PM, Steve Haynie said: GO SEE ERIC GALES!!! I feel bad that I haven't seen him yet, esp because he has lived here in town for a few years, and records at my pal Benjys studio. He had a Bday concert awhile back w/ a lot of special guests, but I had to work (24 hour shift). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickrock999 Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 (edited) I bought the Metallica Black ticket and saw them 13 times in 2023. I paid $1000 for that ticket. at most of the shows I was in the Snake Pit which is right in the middle of the in the round stage. Opening bands were Mammoth WVH, Pantera, Ice Nine Kills, & 5 Finger Death Punch. The Cities were Montreal X2, DallasX2, L.A. X2 (my town), Phoenix X2, St. Louis X2, Detroit X2. The 13th show was at Power Trip in Indio Ca. along with Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Gun N Roses & Tool I went to The Cruel World Festival in Pasadena: Billy Idol, The Vapors, Animation, Iggy Pop, Gang of 4 & Siouxsie & The Banshees. They ended the show toward the end because of phantom lighting. Siouxsie got pissed and made them bring everyone back the next day so she could do her set. Also saw John Williams and Gustavo Dudamel at The Hollywood Bowl and another GNR show at the Bowl. I think that's it Edited January 8 by rickrock999 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 (edited) 3 hours ago, rickrock999 said: I went to The Cruel World Festival in Pasadena: Billy Idol, The Vapors, Animation, Iggy Pop, Gang of 4 & Siouxsie & The Banshees. They ended the show toward the end because of phantom lighting. Siouxsie got pissed and made them bring everyone back the next day so she could do her set. WTF is, “phantom lighting?” Edited January 9 by RobB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathman Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 11 hours ago, RobB said: WTF is, “phantom lighting?” I think he is talking about lightning in the clouds, sometimes called heat lightning in the south. Lightning going from cloud to cloud rather than cloud to ground. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted January 9 Share Posted January 9 (edited) Hmmm. Sounds pretty goth. You’d think Siouxsie would be inspired by that phenomenon? Edited January 9 by RobB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.