Ours Go to 11: Volume 38, Coolest Concerts Attended

In my previous post--inspired by the coronavirus pandemic precluding my seeing the Chicago Cubs play the St. Louis Cardinals in London, as I was scheduled to--I compiled a list of the most Notable Games I have attended.

Initially I was intending to cover Regular Season and Postseason/Exhibition games in separate lists within the same post.

But recollecting, researching and writing about just the Regular Season games of note wound up taking up a full afternoon.

So I promised to cover Playoff Games in a subsequent post.

Ostensibly, that would be this one.

But today, June 17, is a date that stands out in my mind for some memorable concerts I've attended.

So it seems apropos to do this:

The Most Memorable Rock Concerts I've Been To 
These shouldn't be construed as "the best" concerts, and while I'll include plenty of Bruce Springsteen, I won't let him fill the Top 11, even though he easily could. (This includes leaving out Springsteen on Broadway.)

1. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - June 17, 2000 - Madison Square Garden, New York
The Boss is my favorite; I don't think there's ever been a better live rock performer. To date, I've seen him 50 times, including 10 shows on his 1999-00 reunion tour with the E Street Band. This one was amid a tour ending 10-show soldout run at the world's most famous arena. Via the on-sale, I was able to snag a ticket in the 10th row center (over-the-phone from Chicago). And the show was as great as I could've hoped.

2. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - June 15, 2013 - Wembley Stadium, London
I've seen Bruce many other cool places, some noted below and also the now-demolished Giants Stadium in New Jersey, where I attended 7 shows across 3 tours. But seeing him at Wembley, in London, on an European jaunt, was extra special.

3. Nirvana - October 25, 1993 - Aragon Ballroom, Chicago
During the concert, Kurt Cobain opined that the sound sucked. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" went unplayed. And in a post-show interview with Rolling Stone's David Fricke, Kurt said, "I’m really glad you could make it for the shittiest show on the tour." Still, though my memory isn't great, I can acutely remember being absolutely blown away.

4. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - June 17, 1981 - Rosemont Horizon, near Chicago
My first concert attended of my own volition. The Loop radio station presented it as a "Free Show" and I was able to get a pair of tickets by waiting at Flip Side at Lincoln Village mall. Being only 12, I had to be accompanied to the show by my dad. We didn't always get along, but this was a cherished memory.

5. David Bowie - May 25, 1990 - Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
In March 1990, at the age of 21, I moved from the Chicago area to Los Angeles, settling in the poorer section of Encino in the San Fernando Valley. After having missed out on seeing him in Chicago in 1983 and 1987, I made a point of seeing the "Thin White Duke" at Dodger Stadium. It was my first show in LA, and one I went to by myself. Can't say I recall all that much, but have never forgotten Bowie opening with "Space Oddity."

6. U2 - April 29, 1987 - Rosemont Horizon
Technically, this wasn't my first time seeing U2 live; note #11 below, the previous year. But during my freshman year at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, U2 had become--with the release of The Joshua Tree--"Rock's Hottest Ticket" as proclaimed on a TIME magazine cover. With just one show at the Horizon, getting tix seemed daunting, but via the Jam (Productions) Ticket Club, I got two choice seats on the floor.

7. The Rolling Stones - September 16, 2002 - Aragon Ballroom
As with most of the artists on this list and many others, I've seen the Stones a bunch of times. But just by simple luck I was able to buy, for $50 each, tickets when they opted to do an intimate show at the Aragon among bigger Chicago venues as well. The setlist was actually a tad esoteric, so it isn't the "best" Stones show I've seen. But it was quite cool, and Bono even showed up onstage to duet on "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)."

8. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - September 7 & 8 - Wrigley Field, Chicago
My favorite artist at my favorite place in the world, twice. 6-1/2 hours of sheer joy. I even touched the Boss on Night 2, which isn't as creepy as it sounds.

9. Pearl Jam - July 9, 1995 - Marcus Amphitheater, Summerfest, Milwaukee
At the height of their popularity, Pearl Jam scrapped most of its tour due to refusing to play venues with tickets sold through Ticketmaster (with hefty surcharges). But they played Chicago's Soldier Field (should've gone but didn't) and two gigs as part of Summerfest. I went to the latter.

10. Paul McCartney - June 8, 2019 - Lambeau Field, Green Bay
I've seen the great Beatle many cool places--Wrigley Field, Le Bercy arena in Paris, Miller Park Milwaukee, Busch Stadium St. Louis, in Tulsa, OK and more--but even for a devoted Chicago Bears fan, there was something special about being on the tundra of the Green Bay Packers home stadium. And still playing nearly 3 hours, Sir Paul was awesome. 

11. Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope tour featuring U2, The Police, Peter Gabriel, Bryan Adams, Lou Reed and Robin Williams - June 13, 1986 - Rosemont Horizon
A remarkable lineup, and my first time seeing any of the performers. U2 was incredible; The Police, who had reunited for the tour and were terrific, still shouldn't have followed them as the closing act.

Some others

- Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco) with student musicians - March 21, 2009 - Private residence. A close friend's family hosted a special benefit performance. 
- Foo Fighters - March 29, 1996 - Riviera Theatre, Chicago. My first Foo.
- Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band - July 17, 1984 - Rosemont Horizon. First-time seeing Bruce live; life-changing.
- The Smashing Pumpkins - April 10, 1999 - St. Andrews Hall, Detroit. "The Arising" tour briefly reunited the original Pumpkins for the last time. There was no Chicago show, so I went to Detroit for a small club gig. Would see a bunch of shows the next year on the then-final tour, including in Paris.
- R.E.M. - October 21, 1986 - Chick Evans Field House, NIU, DeKalb, IL. Early in my freshman year; I got up to the first row. It made me a fan for life.
- Radiohead - August 15, 2003 - Parc Jean Drapeau, Montreal. A Canadian air travel blackout on the day of the show forced me to fly to Burlington, Vermont, take a bus, find my hotel and take the subway to reach the show at a huge park on an island. I think I missed two songs.

- Vote for Change Tour - Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, R.E.M., Bright Eyes - October 3, 2004 - Cobo Hall, Detroit. After seeing Pearl Jam at a VFC show the night before in Toledo, where Neil Young showed up, I caught two more of my all-time favorites in Detroit. No Neil, but John Fogerty and the Dixie Chicks made appearances.
- Aretha Franklin - September 3, 2017 - Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, IL. The legendary Queen of Soul was really terrific in her last Chicago appearance, my only time seeing her.
- Robert Plant - October 2, 2014 - Riviera Theatre, Chicago. I love Led Zeppelin and have seen Plant many times, including twice with Jimmy Page. But there was something just goose-bumpnig and mind-blowing about this particular gig.
- Material Issue - May 7, 1991 - Palomino Club, North Hollywood, CA. Living in L.A., I caught wind of this Chicago trio getting buzz from their debut album and went to see them at a long-famed country music venue. In 1994 I was back in the Chicago burbs and went to a Material Issue CD signing, where I mentioned having seen them at the Palomino, which seemed to impress them. Sadly, singer/songwriter Jim Ellison took his life just a couple years later.

And also...

- Stereophonics - December 11, 2003 - Cubby Bear. Hung out with the band afterward.
- AC/DC - Various - Always awesome
- Arcade Fire - Various - Likewise
- Buddy Guy - Several times - Buddy Guy's Legends
- Zwan - April 12, 13, 2002 - Double Door. Sheer joy in hearing new material ahead of the album.
- Midnight Oil - October 23, 2001 - The Rave. First time seeing a legendary band I long loved, in a small venue.
- The Who - July 21, 1989 - Alpine Valley, WI. My first-time seeing The Who was almost scrapped when a friend bailed, but my mom accompanied me. She would do so again for the Rolling Stones a few months later. 
- Coldplay - March 12, 2003 - Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee. A relatively intimate setting for how big they had already become, and the band was fantastic. Would then go see them at the Hollywood Bowl a couple months later and not be nearly as impressed.
- Stevie Wonder - June 28, 2008 - Petrillo Bandshell / Taste of Chicago. Just a "Wonder"ful communal vibe, especially when the entire lawn did the "electric slide."
- Soundgarden - January 29, 2013 - Riviera Theatre. As with the other times I saw them, they were bone-crushingly phenomenal.

There are dozens of other shows that I could easily have included here, so no slight meant to any artists, shows, venues or individuals with whom I may have attended.

Ours Go to 11: Volume 37, Notable Games Attended -- Regular Season

Had things proceeded as scheduled, last night--June 13, 2020--I would have watched my beloved Chicago Cubs play a regular-season, Major League Baseball game against their Arch rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Rather than at Wrigley Field or Busch Stadium, this game would've taken place at London Stadium at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, England.

Hopefully it will be rescheduled for 2021, or as safe, and I will be able to plan a different European jaunt and attend.

But theoretically, it would be a once in a lifetime event, to see the Cubs play in Europe.

So for now, I will draw upon my memory banks--and perhaps even more so, ticket stubs--to list some of the most notable, memorable and/or cherished games I've attended across various sports.

It seems a bit unfair to loop together regular season and playoff/exhibition games, so here I'll focus only on the former, and will follow up with a subsequent post covering the latter.

But this is quite inexact. I've been fortunate to attend many games over the years, some at the gracious invite of friends, relatives, bosses, etc. How I attended, or with whom, isn't a criteria I'm much considering, but I remain extremely grateful to those who treated me, joined me, traveled with me, etc. 

I recall very few outcomes or specific happenings within games, and while I've been to games at 40 different major league baseball stadiums, vary rarely do the venues factor into the choices below. I was also a vendor at several Chicago games between 1985-89, which I'll include in some cases, but sparingly.

Perhaps inadvertently, I'm leaving out several Cubs vs. White Sox games I attended, and mostly won't include games I went to in order to see all-time greats--Cal Ripken Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Sanders, LeBron James, Allen Iverson, etc.--or to observe pre-game ceremonies or get promotional items.

And as I feel apt, I'll lump a few games together. 

The Most Memorable Regular Season Games I Was At

1. April 18, 2007: Chicago White Sox vs. Texas Rangers - Mark Buehrle No-Hitter
It was a freezing evening game at U.S. Cellular Field that I attended with three friends. I would've happily left at any point the Rangers got a hit, but they never did. Sox won 6-0.

See video within article

2. August 8 / 9, 1988: Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies / New York Mets - Lights at Wrigley
The first night game at Wrigley Field never officially happened, as after 91-year-old Harry Grossman flipped the switch on 8/8/88--I was there as a vendor--Mother Nature stalled the game in the middle of the 4th inning. Fortunately I was back the next night for the first official night game at Wrigley, against the Mets. Cubs won 6-4.

3. September 6, 1998: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Reds - Old Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Incidentally, Long Gone Summer, which chronicles Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa's home run chase of 1998 premieres tonight on ESPN. I attended this late-season game in St. Louis as McGwire sat at 60 HR (Sosa was at 58). However I may feel now about both stars presumably juicing, the atmosphere was electric then. McGwire did not homer (nor did Sammy on the day), so nothing noteworthy happened in this game, it was just cool to be there. Over the next two nights, against the Cubs at Busch (I wasn't there) McGwire hit HR 61 and 62, tying and breaking Roger Maris' longstanding record. He finished the year with 70 HR; Sosa 66.

4. January 2 & 24, 2003: Chicago Bulls vs. Washington Wizards - United Center
I saw Michael Jordan play in person about 10 times across his career, mostly with the Bulls. Some of these games are noted below. But after he unretired to play a final two seasons with the Wizards, I had a ticket for a 2002 game at the UC in which he didn't play and also unwittingly bought a fake ticket for his final game at Madison Square Garden in New York in March 2003. But I did attend his first and last visits to the Jordan -- err, United -- Center in the 2002-03 season. He had a combined 21 points, but so what. I cheered loudly.

5. June 17 / 18, 2000: New York Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox, Old Yankee Stadium; Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees, Fenway Park
On a brief East Coast jaunt highlighted by seeing Bruce Springsteen at Madison Square Garden, the next afternoon I would see the White Sox clobber the Yankees 17-4 on my second ever visit to the original Yankee Stadium. I would then take a train to Boston, where my sister Allison lived, and the next night we went to a game at Fenway, my first at the venerable home of the Boston Red Sox ballpark. The Yankees won 22-1. I don't know if any other team has had a 34-run loss to win swing in 2 days.

6. September 8, 1985: Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds, Wrigley Field - Pete Ties Ty in a Tie
Before he would disgrace himself for getting caught betting on baseball, Pete Rose became the Hit King by surpassing Ty Cobb's 4,191. On a Sunday in Chicago, late in my first season as a vendor, "Charlie Hustle" tied Ty--he'd surpass him Wednesday in Cincinnati--in a game that would officially end in a 5-5 tie. Per #2 above, Wrigley didn't yet have lights.

7. March 1, 2014: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Pittsburgh Penquins, Soldier Field
I went to a handful of Hawks games during their dynasty era, including a Stanley Cup Final game. But this outdoor "Stadium Series" game at Soldier Field was really cool, especially as it was freezing. And it was also my first chance to see the Penquins' superstar Sidney Crosby live in person. The Blackhawks won 5-1 in front of nearly 63,000 fans.

8. June 7, 2003: Chicago Cubs vs. New York Yankees - Wrigley Field
Roger Clemens aiming for career win #300 vs. Kerry Wood. The series marked the first Yankees visit to Wrigley since 1932. Cubs won 5-2 but game marred by a scary injury to the Cubs' Hee-Seop Choi. 

9. March 9, 1985: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz - Chicago Stadium
First time I saw Michael Jordan in person. He scored 28 but the Jazz won 111-105, led by Darrell Griffith's 40 points. Orlando Woolridge had 35 for the Bulls.

10. May 2, 2000: Chicago Cubs vs. Houston Astros - Wrigley Field
Kerry Wood's return to action after more than a year on the Disabled List. He went 6 innings for the win in a 11-1 Cubs victory, and also hit a 2-run homer.

11. November 26, 2011: Chelsea vs. Wolves, Stamford Bridge stadium, London
My friend Paolo was in London on business, staying in a corporate flat, so I visited him. Though I had seen some great international soccer stars play in Chicago, I'd never been to a game--of any kind--in another country. Paolo is a huge fan, of soccer and Chelsea, so we went to Stamford Bridge and got tickets from a "tout" (i.e. scalper). It was a fun experience; Chelsea won 3-0. I can't trace who scored goals, but notables on Chelsea's roster included Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Daniel Sturridge, Fernando Torres and Ashley Cole.

A few others

- September 5, 1983: White Sox v A's - First-place Sox won 11-1 enroute to playoffs. Went with my childhood (and still) pal Jordan; Floyd Bannister started.
- August 6, 1984: Cubs vs. Mets - First-place Cubs beat second-place Mets (with Dwight Gooden starting) 9-3; taken by summertime boss, sat 1st row behind Cubs dugout
- April 8, 1999: Blackhawks vs. Rangers - Wayne Gretzky's last visit to Chicago. The crowd and the Hawks gave him a great salute.
- April 14 (or 15), 1981: White Sox vs. Brewers - I remember my took me and a friend to a game right at the start of the Sox first season with Carlton Fisk (alongside Greg Luzinski). April 14 was opening day, but the 15th would've been a much easier ticket. I don't have the stub or much recollection, but do recall my dad being pickpocketed on the L.  
- February 15, 2000: Bulls vs. Lakers - Phil Jackson's first visit to the UC as Lakers coach on a title-bound team with Shaq and Kobe. Lakers won 88-76
- November 26, 1991: Bulls vs. Clippers, LA Sports Arena - Living in L.A. from 1990-92, I convinced a colleague to accompany me to see Michael, who scored 23 in a 116-79 Bulls win.
- December 9, 1995: Bulls vs. Bucks, Bradley Center, Milwaukee - My friend Mark and I went up to Milwaukee early in the Bulls' 72-win, 4th ring season. Adorned in black uniforms, the Bulls won 118-106; Michael had 45.
- Various dates, 1990-92, 1996: Cubs vs. Dodgers, Dodger Stadium - I don't recall any game in particular, but it was always fun to see the Cubs in L.A., when I lived there and on a return visit.
- March 30, 2014: Fluminense vs. Vasco de Gama, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro - The famed Maracana had been reconfigured down from a 200,000 capacity to 80,000 and wasn't even 1/4 full for this game, but it was still fun to attend.
- September 11 / 12, 2005: San Francisco Giants vs. San Diego Padres, SBC Park - As noted above, I've been to many baseball stadiums, and my favorite beyond Wrigley is the Giants' home on the Bay. And while I hated Barry Bonds, even in real time, the game on 9/12 marked his first of 2005 after 4 straight MVP seasons. So it was kinda cool.

Ours Go to 11: Volume 36, My Favorite Music Movies (that aren't concert films, documentaries, musical adaptations or biopics)

Nobody told me there'd be days like these.

Strange days, indeed.

Most peculiar mama.

But I am trying to get through them with much grace and aplomb as possible.

And that has included watching movies and having discussions about others, via email, Facebook, etc.

One of these days I may try to write something more substantive, but for now, a list seems apt.

And so, mainly in a pop/rock vein, without including concert films, documentaries, Broadway adaptations or biopics (i.e. Rocketman, Ray, Bohemian Rhapsody, Walk the Line, etc., even if some of the choices below are technically biographical), I give you my picks of:

The Best Feature Films About Music:
(Primarily in a pop/rock vein; no concert films, documentaries, Broadway adaptations (or akin: Singin' in the Rain) or biopics, although some might say the first three choices somewhat are the latter. Go with it.)

1. A Hard Day's Night
2. Purple Rain
3. This is Spinal Tap
4. Sing Street
5. Saturday Night Fever
5. The Blues Brothers
6. Almost Famous
7. Once 
8. The Commitments
9. School of Rock
10. Across the Universe
11. Quadrophenia

Plus A Few More

Help
Footloose 
8 Mile
Blinded by the Light
A Star is Born (2018)
High Fidelity
La La Land
Crazy Heart
The Five Heartbeats
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Rude Boy
Yellow Submarine
Pirate Radio
I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Cadillac Records

Some I Haven't Seen or Recall

American Hot Wax
Black Snake Moan
24 Hour Party People
Pump Up the Volume
The Idolmaker
Empire Records
Eddie & the Cruisers
Jailhouse Rock (or anything except Viva Las Vegas)

The Best of 2019: The Best New Movies I Saw

Over the past 365 days, I saw 38 new movies, plus plenty of old ones.

Although there were some notable 2018 movies I didn't see until this year--The Favourite, Can You Ever Forgive Me, Isle of Dogs, The Mule--I believe there are only two that I watched that I couldn't have reasonably seen anywhere in Chicagoland in 2019:

Cold War and Capernaum.

I think those are the only films on my list below--or that I considered for inclusion--that were officially 2018 releases.

I will cite documentaries separately as I didn't see that many (and even the top one below was more just a concert film than a true documentary).

So before I get to my main list, these were the:

Best New Documentaries I Saw in 2019:

1. Western Stars (Bruce Springsteen) 
2. Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
3. Depeche Mode: Spirits in the Forest
4. Echo in the Canyon

As in years past, after my list I will also include the Top 10s of my friend Dave and Brad, who tend to see a wider swath of art films than I do.

I won't take the time to spell out which films are still in theaters, on Netflix or other streaming service, rentable or whatever else, but have found an app called Just Watch is quite valuable in this regard. 

Best New Movies Seen in 2019 (Feature Films)
(F = Foreign; 18 = Officially a 2018 release)

1. Little Women
2. The Irishman
3. Jojo Rabbit
4. Cold War (F, 18)
5. Parasite (F)
6. The Peanut Butter Falcon
7. Wild Rose
8. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
9. Ford v Ferrari
10. The Two Popes
11. Blinded by the Light
12. Hustlers
13. Marriage Story
14. The Farewell (F)
15. Long Shot
16. Capernaum (F, 18)
17. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
18. Us
19. Dark Waters
20. Everybody Knows (F)

Honorable Mention (in preference order)

Transit (F), Dolemite is My Name, Always Be My Maybe, Knives Out, Rocketman, Booksmart, The Souvenir, Hotel Mumbai

Notable 2018 Movies Not Yet Seen
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Joker, Pain and Glory, Harriet, 1917, The Lighthouse, Judy, The Report, Queen & Slim, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, John Wick 3, Midsommar, Ad Astra, Toy Story 4, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, American Woman, Fighting With My Family, Bombshell, Under the Silver Lake

Notable Movies Seen But Not Cited Above

Uncut Gems, The White Crow, The Aftermath, Yesterday, Captain Marvel

Dave's Top 10 Movies of 2018

1. Parasite (F)

2. Transit (F)
3. The Irishman
4. Pain and Glory (F)
5. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
6. Marriage Story
7. Little Women
8. Synonyms (F)
9. Cold War (F)
10. Queen & Slim

Brad's Top 10 Movies of 2018

1. Parasite (F)
2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
3. The Lighthouse
4. The Irishman
5. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (F)
6. Western Stars (Doc) 
7. Marriage Story
8. 63 Up (Doc)
9. Avengers: Endgame
10. Us 

The Best of 2019: The Best New Albums I Heard

Western Stars is far from the best Bruce Springsteen album I've ever heard. He's had so many great ones.

In truth, though I think the album he released this year--his first studio recording since 2014's High Hopes--is pretty stellar, simply in terms of listening pleasure it's not even my favorite Springsteen album to come out in 2019.

That would be his latest archival live set, recorded on December 15, 1978 at San Franciso's Winterland.

But Springsteen put together a new album of material recorded as far back as 2012 that sounds remarkably cohesive, while also sounding like little he's ever released.

As you'll see below, another old favorite, The Who, surprised with a late 2019 album that--again--not ranking close to their all-time best, is solid enough to rank high this year.

Sadly, I only heard of my #2 album below because the man mainly behind it, David Berman, took his life shortly after its release and just before he was to start a tour. A shame, as while it isn't exactly filled with uplifting lyrics, it's a rather powerful last testament.

Anyway, of what I heard--which really wasn't that much nor that diverse--here's what I've determined to be: 

My Favorite New Rock Albums of 2018

1. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars (Spotify link)

2. Purple Mountains - self-titled (Spotify link)

3. The Who - Who (Spotify link)

4. The Twilight Sad - It Won't Be Like This All the Time (Spotify link)

5. Mannequin Pussy - Patience (Spotify link)

6. Miranda Lambert - Wildcard (Spotify link)

7. Tool - Fear Inoculum (Spotify link)

8. The Black Keys - "Let's Rock" (Spotify link) 

9. Fontaines DC - Dogrel  (Spotify link)

10. Cage the Elephant - Social Cues (Spotify link)

11. Beck - Hyperspace (Spotify link)

Honorable Mention

Wilco - Ode to Joy (Spotify link) 
Coldplay - Everyday Life (Spotify link)
Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go (Spotify link)
Taylor Swift - Lover (Spotify link)
The Muffs - No Holiday (Spotify link)


Reissues, Live Albums, etc.

R.E.M. - Monster (25th Anniversary) (Spotify link)

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Live Archive Recordings
Available via live.brucespringsteen.net and Nugs.net. These are the ones I purchased:

● Tampa 4/22/08
● Los Angeles 9/27/85
● Passaic, NJ 9/19/78
● San Francisco (Winterland) 12/15/78
● Houston 5/6/14
● Coventry, UK 6/3/16

Of these, San Francisco 1978 would be my top recommendation.

The Best of 2019: The Best Musicals I Saw Onstage

Unlike my recent Best of the Decade list of favorite musicals, this one is not exclusive to newly-created shows.

Although I did see a few brand new works that had some nice moments, I didn't get to New York this year and have not seen Hadestown, the latest Tony winner.

And, as opposed to several years, Broadway in Chicago's slate of musicals didn't include any pre-Broadway tryouts.

So it's been a rather lean year for me in terms of "new" musicals, but as a yearly category I've always used this one to celebrate the best musicals of any vintage or level I saw over the previous 12 months.

Any show making my list was quite good and especially in terms of older musicals, I'm really gauging the productions as much as the source material, though the two obviously blend together in terms of my enjoyment.

I believe my Top 6 musicals below were shows I awarded @@@@@ (out of 5) when I posted a review to Seth Saith.

So not a lot separates them, and in terms of rankings, I do give a bit of weight to recent shows, just to celebrate the freshness of something newly terrific.

Nearby is a graphic showing all 25 musicals I saw onstage in 2019, and quite honestly, I enjoyed them all.

Some were better than others, but there was really nothing I didn't like.

Not included for consideration here are several shows I more consider--and were generally marketed as--"plays with music," rather than outright musicals. It's not an easy delineation, especially as some of these were about Nina Simone, The Ramones, Ma Rainey and Cambodian rock music.

But I will soon be doing a post of My Favorite Plays of 2019, and will provide citation there for shows meriting it.

Also not eligible here, but perhaps of note to some, are concerts by Hugh Jackman and Barbra Streisand, which included considerable Broadway music. 

But for whatever it's worth, and however unscientifically determined, here are my picks of:


The Best Musicals I Saw On Stage in 2019:
(Note: All theaters in Chicago proper unless noted; in some cases the theatrical company is cited rather than venue. New shows are denoted with an *)

1. Dear Evan Hansen - Nederlander Theatre / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

2. Come From Away - Cadillac Palace / Broadway in Chicago (my review) 
 

3. Les Miserables - Cadillac Palace / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

4. The Producers - Paramount Theatre, Aurora (my review)

5. West Side Story - Lyric Opera of Chicago (my review)

6. Into the Woods - Writers Theatre, Glencoe (my review)

7. Bright Star - BoHo Theatre (my review) 

8. A Chorus Line - Porchlight Music Theatre (my review)

9. The Music Man - Goodman Theatre (my review)

10. Next to Normal - Writers Theatre, Glencoe (my review)

11. The Band's Visit - Cadillac Palace / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

Honorable Mention
In preference order

- Oliver - Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire (my review) 
- The Simon & Garfunkel Story - Broadway Playhouse / Broadway in Chicago (my review)
- The Light in the Piazza - Lyric Opera of Chicago (my review)
- Matilda - Drury Lane Theatre, Oakbrook Terrace (my review)

- A Bronx Tale - Nederlander Theatre / Broadway in Chicago (my review)
- Head Over Heels - Kokandy Productions / Theater Wit (my review)
- You Can't Fake the Funk - Black Ensemble Theater (my review)
- Falsettos- Nederlander Theatre / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

-- If re-posting lists or highlighting selections, please attribute to: Seth Arkin on SethSaith.com

The Best of 2019: The Best Rock Concerts I Attended

Foreseeably, I will continue going to rock concerts--in one form or another--for as long as I can figure out how to get to them, and comfortably enjoy them.

Although as you can see in my list below, I have continued to see huge, historic acts in football stadiums and hockey arenas, and not just in the Chicago area, my caveat of "in one form or another" is not meant lightly.

The majority of my favorite rock artists--the ones that haven't yet passed--are at least 70 years old, and some are soon retiring from the road.

So even if my health continues to allow me to attend big shows, I may be resigned to seeing tribute bands in bars and parks (this year I saw tributes to ABBA and the Beatles, as well as a student ensemble covering several artists). And especially if one includes cover bands as theatrical performances (such as Simon & Garfunkel and The Ramones this year), this might become an even bigger part of my live rock and roll fix.

But for now, I've been lucky to see enough non-tribute rock shows--26 in 2019--to put together a fairly solid lists of the best ones.

Somewhat beyond the rock realm, I also really enjoyed concerts by Hugh Jackman (my review) and Barbra Streisand (my review). And even what I'm considering as "rock" ranged from a solo acoustic Bruce Cockburn to Cher with numerous costume changes to George Clinton with some assemblage of P-Funk on a crowded stage.

But as best I can recall, these were:

My Favorite Rock Concerts of 2019
Artists seen multiple times ranked just once; venues in Chicago area unless noted.

1. Paul McCartney - June 8, Lambeau Field, Green Bay (my review) 

2. The Who (w/ The Arkells, Reignwolf) - May 9, Key Center, Buffalo; May 21, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, Tinley Park (my review)

3. The Killers (w/ Death Cab for Cutie) - July 5, American Family Insurance Amphitheatre, Summerfest, Milwaukee (my review) 

4. Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band (w/ Anthony Rosano & the Conqueroos) - October 19, United Center (my review)  

5. The Rolling Stones (w/ Whiskey Myers) - June 25, Soldier Field (my review)

6. Bob Mould (w/ Beach Bunny) - February 23, Metro (my review)

7. Elvis Costello & the Imposters - November 22, Chicago Theatre (my review)

8. Kiss - March 2, United Center (my review)

9. Diana Ross (w/ Rhonda Ross) - July 10, Chicago Theatre (my review)

10. Liz Phair  (w/ Juliana Hatfield) - June 22, Out of SPACE at Temperance Beer Co., Evanston (my review) 

11. Willie Nile (w/ Brad Ray) - October 19, SPACE, Evanston (my review)

Honorable Mention
(in preference order)

- Wilco (w/ Robyn Hitchcock) - December 15 - Chicago Theatre (my review)

- Bruce Cockburn - May 8, Asbury Hall at Babeville, Buffalo, NY (my review)

- The Waterboys - September 29 (early show), Old Town School of Folk Music (my review)
- Peter Frampton (w/ Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience) - July 28, Huntington Bank Pavilion (my review)

- Lucinda Williams - June 14, Old Town School of Folk Music (my review)

- REO Speedwagon (w/ Charlie Farren) - August 3, Rosemont Theatre (my review)

- Mumford & Sons (w/ Cat Power) - March 29, United Center (my review)

---

If re-posting lists or highlighting selections, please attribute to: Seth Arkin on SethSaith.com

Ours Go to 11: Volume 34, The Best Debut Albums of All-Time (in a pop/rock vein)

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of Led Zeppelin I. 

1. The Ramones - self-titled
2. Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced
3. Van Halen - self-titled
4. Led Zeppelin - self-titled
5. Guns 'n Roses - Appetite for Destruction
6. The Clash - self-titled (UK version)
7. Pearl Jam - Ten

8. The Doors - self-titled

9. R.E.M. - Murmur
10. The Beatles - Please Please Me  
11. Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks 

Honorable Mention

Elvis Presley - self-titled
Elvis Costello - My Aim is True 
The Velvet Underground & Nico - self-titled
Talking Heads - '77

Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill
Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville
Arcade Fire - Funeral
Boston - self-titled
The Band - Music from Big Pink
The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man
Foreigner - self-titled
The Cars - self-titled
Cheap Trick - self-titled

Two Personal Favorites

Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger
Stereophonics - Word Gets Around

The Best of 2018: The Best New Movies I Saw

Of movies that were first made readily available for me to see in 2018, whether in Chicagoland theaters for a regular run--i.e. not a festival showing--or via self-producing streaming TV channels, I saw 39 over the past 365 days.

For the purposes of my list below, these include The Post, Phantom Thread, Hostiles and perhaps a few other films that were officially 2017 releases but didn't open locally until 2018.

I won't count as eligible a film called Fast Color, which I saw at a special screening--with star Gugu Mbatha-Raw present at Chicago's Music Box Theatre--but which won't open normally until March 29.

And because I believe I only saw two new documentaries in 2018--not counting straight concert movies or Springsteen on Broadway--I will take care of acknowledging them separately here:

1. Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story 
2. McQueen

As in years past, after my list I will also include the Top 10s of my friend Dave and Brad, who tend to see a wider swath of art films than I do.

I won't take the time to spell out which films are still in theaters, on Netflix or other streaming service, rentable or whatever else, but have found an app called Just Watch is quite valuable in this regard. 

Best New Movies Seen in 2018
(F = Foreign; 17 = Officially a 2017 release)

1. If Beale Street Could Talk
2. Roma (F)
3. Shoplifters (F)
4. Burning (F)
5. Green Book
6. The Post (17)
7. Widows
8. Leave No Trace
9. Eighth Grade 
10. Blackkklansman 
11. The Rider 
12. Disobedience 
13. You Were Never Really Here
14. Bohemian Rhapsody 
15. Black Panther 
16. On the Basis of Sex
17. Crazy Rich Asians 
18. A Simple Favor 
19. First Reformed
20. A Star Is Born

Honorable Mention (in preference order)

Mary Poppins Returns, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Foxtrot, Lean on Pete, Annihilation, Zama, Hostiles, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Notable 2018 Movies Not Yet Seen
The Favourite, The Sisters Brothers, Mandy, The Mule, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Wildlife, First Man, A Private War, Creed II, Museo, Boy Erased, Ben Is Back, Halloween, Cold War (not yet released in Chicago), The Death of Stalin, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse, Love After Love, Isle of Dogs, The Other Side of the Wind, Colette, Bloodspotting, A Quiet Place, The Endless

Notable Movies Seen But Not Cited Above

Phantom Thread (17), Fast Color, Support the Girls, Deadpool 2, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Set It Up, Anon, Game Night, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again

Dave's Top 10 Movies of 2018

1. Roma (F)

2. Eighth Grade
3. Can You Ever Forgive Me?
4. The Mule
5. If Beale Street Could Talk
6. The Favourite
7. Hostiles
8. Foxtrot
9. Green Book
10. Leave No Trace

Brad's Top 10 Movies of 2018

1. Roma
2. Blackkklansman
3. First Reformed
4. Burning (F)
5. Hereditary
6. The Other Side of the Wind
7. Black Panther
8. Eighth Grade
9. The Endless
10. Shoplifters (F)

The Best of 2018: The Best New Albums I Heard

This seems like apt category in which to admit that I've been a broken record.

For years, perhaps decades now, I've been complaining that there have been relatively few new artists in a rock vein that have gotten me excited--especially on an ongoing basis.

Yes, there are acts such as Ash and Maximo Park and Arcade Fire who have popped up on multiple "Best New Albums of (Year)" lists, but all are at least a dozen years old.

Late last year, as I was rummaging through albums I had gleaned might be worthy of "Best of 2017" consideration, I discovered Life Without Sound by the Cloud Nothings.

After several listenings, I decided it was the best album I'd heard all year, and it topped my list.

But not only can't I say that I returned to it often this year, until the past couple weeks I was oblivious to the Cloud Nothings releasing a follow-up, Last Building Burning.

And I don't like it nearly as much.

So with relatively few albums that catch my attention--and fancy--throughout the year, I try my best to listen to several in a cluster of December weeks, and see what I like best.

But though I am trying to gauge the merits--as per my preferences, which lean toward guitar-driven hard rock--of any particular album, I realized I somehow also should factor in what I'm likely to stick with and return to.

This year, my favorite discovery was a band called the Struts, who are unabashedly retro, with a singer and sound that recalls--without matching--Queen and a Cuisinart of other classic rock influences.

Noting that they would be opening for the Foo Fighters at Wrigley Field in late July, I listened to and loved their then-only album, Everybody Wants, which was released in 2014, and re-issued in the U.S. in 2016.

Their new album, Young and Dangerous, was released in late-October, and likewise has several songs that are unabashedly fun. It also has some that are, candidly, rather dumb and not so great, and I can't call the album a masterpiece.

Still, it is the 2018 album I've most enjoyed hearing, and presumably the one I will continue to most often. So while I don't think it historically good, it tops my list of:

My Favorite New Rock Albums of 2018

1. The Struts - Young and Dangerous (Spotify link)

2. Elvis Costello - Look Now (Spotify link)

3. Superchunk - What a Time to Be Alive (Spotify link)

4. Ash - Islands (Spotify link)

5. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs (Spotify link)

6. The Vaccines- Combat Sports (Spotify link)

7. David Byrne - American Utopia (Spotify link)

8. John Prine - The Tree of Forgiveness (Spotify link)

9. Kyle Craft - Full Circle Nightmare (Spotify link) 

10. Paul McCartney - Egypt Station (Spotify link)

11. Judas Priest - FIREPOWER (Spotify link)

Honorable Mention

Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer (Spotify link)
The Chills - Snow Bound (Spotify link)
Mitski - Be the Cowboy (Spotify link)
Paul Weller - True Meanings (Spotify link)
Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour (Spotify link)
Cloud Nothings - Last Building Burning (Spotify link)
Albert Hammond Jr. - Francis Trouble (Spotify link)

Reissues, Live Albums, etc.

John Coltrane - Both Directions at Once (Spotify link)
The great jazz saxophonist John Coltrane died in 1967, and even in just the past few years, there have been many archival releases and reissues, typically featuring Trane performances. 2018's release of Miles Davis & John Coltrane, The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 being just one example. Both Directions at Once is a bit different, as it is from a recording session Coltrane did with his classic quartet in 1963, but whose tapes had long been lost. Hence, almost all of it is of material never heard. And it is brilliant.

David Bowie - Glastonbury 2000 (Live) (Spotify link)

Midnight Oil - Armistice Day: Live at the Domain, Sydney (Spotify link)

R.E.M. at the BBC (Spotfiy link) - Several discs worth of live in studio and live in concert recordings.

The Beatles - The Beatles (White Album) Reissue, featuring Esher Demos (Spotify link) - The Esher Demos are acoustic recordings the Beatles made prior to working on the actual album versions. And they sound wonderful.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Live Archive Recordings
Available via live.brucespringsteen.net. These are the ones I purchased:

● East Rutherford, NJ (without ESB) 6/24/93
● Boston 11/19/07
● Freehold (solo) 1996
● Roxy (LA) 7/7/78
● Wembley Arena (London) 6/5/81
● Chicago 9/30/99
● Helsinki 6/16/03
● Leeds 7/24/13

Of these, London '81 would probably be my top recommendation.

Pearl Jam has also long released official bootlegs of their concerts--which can be found here--and having attended their two Wrigley Field shows in Chicago (August 18 & 20, 2018), I enjoy owning them.

The Best of 2018: The Best Musicals I Saw Onstage

Other than sensational rock concerts by cherished artists, and perhaps a few transcendent movies, there is no art form I love more than musical theater.

Even without any trips to New York or London this year, I saw 32 "Broadway" musicals in 2018, including several fantastic ones.

With the caveat that in my reviews--a link is provided for each show making my list below--I am really judging a particular production as much as the musical itself, I saw terrific touring renditions of such classics as Hello, Dolly! and Fiddler on the Roof.

While it may seem a bit unfair to gauge big budget national tours--and even the continuing Chicago sit-down production of Hamilton--against local productions, you'll see that several area troupes are well-represented.

All the musicals I saw in 2018

In fact, not making my Top 11 or Honorable Mention below are a few high-profile world premieres--Pretty Woman, The Cher Show, A Taste of Things to Come, Heartbreak Hotel--that I didn't quite love. (The first two cited are currently running on Broadway.)

So I am not so concerned with the budget, scale or pedigree, but primarily what moves me.

As you'll see, I really liked the pre-Broadway Chicago run of Tootsie, and even more so, a stage version of Moulin Rouge that I happened to catch in Boston. It's scheduled to open on Broadway in Summer 2019.

For whatever it's worth, and however unscientifically determined, here are my picks of:



The Best Musicals I Saw On Stage in 2018:
(Note: All theaters in Chicago proper unless noted; in some cases the theatrical company is cited rather than venue. New shows are denoted with an *)

1. Hamilton - CIBC Theatre / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

2. Moulin Rouge* - Emerson Colonial Theatre, Boston (my review) 
 

3. Hello Dolly - Oriental Theatre / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

4. Fiddler on the Roof - Cadillac Palace / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

5. The Book of Mormon - Oriental Theatre / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

6. A Little Night Music - BoHo Theatre (my review)

7. Jesus Christ Superstar - Lyric Opera of Chicago (my review) 

8. Ragtime - Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire (my review)

9. Tootsie* - Cadillac Palace / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

10. The Color Purple - Auditorium Theatre / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

11. Miss Saigon - Cadillac Palace / Broadway in Chicago (my review)

Honorable Mention
In preference order

- Haymarket* - Underscore Theatre Co. (my review) 
- Merrily We Roll Along - Porchlight Music Theatre (my review)
- Women of Soul - Black Ensemble Theatre (my review)
- Striking Out - Annoyance Theatre (my review)

- Company - Mercury Theatre (my review)
- On Your Feet! - Cadillac Palace / Broadway in Chicago (my review)
- Murder for Two - Marriott Theatre Lincolnshire (my review)

As of this writing, Hamilton and Fiddler on the Roof are still running in downtown Chicago, while Women of Soul continues at the Black Ensemble Theatre. 

-- If re-posting lists or highlighting selections, please attribute to: Seth Arkin on SethSaith.com