The Ones that Got Away

The other day, Bring Back Glam! reader George posted a couple topic ideas for this site. I think both ideas he posted are phenomenal, but I especially enjoy the topic of the ones that got away. No, we're not talking about dates here - we're talking about concerts.

I think just about everyone has a concert or two they've skipped for whatever reason. Sometimes the concert comes and goes and that's about the end of it - and then other times, missing a certain show creates a lingering sense of longing that will never be satisfied.

A couple years ago, Motley Crue and Aerosmith teamed up for the Route of All Evil tour. You would think - considering Aerosmith and Motley Crue are my favorite bands - that I was in the front row for at least two of these shows. Nope,  I never saw a single stop on this tour. When the Route of All Evil tour swept through Ohio, Heather was sick and my work schedule was switched upside down as a result. Please remember that in 2006, Heather and I were both working at the same television station. In fact, this is how we met. Anyway, Heather was an overnight producer and I was dayside. Anyone that has worked in a television station knows that the graveyard shift is the hardest to fill. When Heather was out for her operation, I got the overnight shift for six weeks. This meant no shows during that time...and yes, that included the Route of All Evil tour. I was happy to help Heather cover her shift - in fact, she would call in the middle of the night and we would chat quite a lot. I've always regretted not seeing the double headline bill of Aerosmith and Motley Crue. No, my life didn't end because I missed this tour - but I do think it had a profound impact on me as a music fan. If you've read this website for any number of days, you know I am fanatical about concerts. I try not to miss a single show. I wasn't as rigid about this in the past - but after missing Route of All Evil, it sort of dawned on me that life is finite and we better do as much as we can to live it up!

So...what are your shows that got away and why?

While you write, here's Aerosmith performing "Back in the Saddle" on the Route of All Evil tour.

Comments

[Tommy]

There are 3 that come to mind here;

1.Metallica with Queensryche on the justice tour- was too young to work and mom wouldnt support my metal habit.

2.Nirvana - They played at UB (Buffalo) for like $15 days after their "Unplugged" show . I hated the Meat Puppets and never heard of the opners so I thought I would catch them next time, Kurt was dead 5 moths later.

3.Damage Plan- My worst miss was when I skipped Dimebag's last show (in my hometown of Buffalo, no less) so that I could see Bret Michales in Cleveland ( i did get to meet him ) even though I had seen him the week before in Rochester and Buffalo. Dime was killed the next day in Columbus , OH .

[Rockfighter]

I have never missed any shows, coz they never come here... but when Iron Maiden played in India, I seriously thought about going and would have gone, but I had to take my 2nd year exams and of course, the cost of going to India, hotel.... would have been way too much for me

[SWEET LOU]

There isn't just ONE show that got away...living in Pittsburgh there are a TON that get away. We've fallen down in target demographics for shows. Cleveland and Cincy get the shows we miss and frankly with ticket prices being outrageous and gas being even MORE outrageous ya just hope for a well written review LOL.

***GEORGE...The Monkees with Jimi opening was my very first concert. I was a 2nd grader and my Mom took me to the Civic Arena. That Hendrix cat was a bit much for a 7 year old hahahahaha. Who knew??? This was a make up show for me because I was too little for my cousins to take me to see the Beatles, BUT I do have an old 8mm movie clip when we went to the airport to see the Beatles come down their ramp on to the tarmac. Of course its just these four tiny mops with waving hands from the "top of the line" camera my dad had hahahaha!

[Michael H.]

I missed Green Day here in Montreal back in 2006. It pisses me off because i hear that that whole tour was amazing, it was the one where they shot "Bullet in a Bible" to make things worse.

I'm also pissed i missed seeing Motley Crue, Iron Maiden and Warrant at The Montreal Heavy Metal Festival on June 22nd. It was my Dad's wedding so i was in Columbus, Ohio on that weekend. However, according to my flight schedule, i would get back to Montreal in time to see Motley Crue, which is my fave band of course. As you can probably guess, the flight was delayed, and i got back during their show, so it would have been over by when i got there. I am seeing them in Cincinnati at Cruefest on August 19th and i can't wait :D

[Chey]

wow i am really sorry that you missed the Route of All evil. I saw the show in mountain view. it was awsome. Motley is my fave band and that was the first time that i saw both bands. Aerosmith was also totally awsome.

[Britt Harlow]

Oh man, this topic was MADE for me - thanks George! 2 concerts come to mind -

1. KISS (my all time favorite - 52 shows and counting) with Cheap Trick. Of all the shows to miss, the Forum show were they recorded Alive II. I got a great seat near the back of the first section and then found out it was the night before we left on our family vacation. My dad made me sell the ticket because "he didn't want me all tired and cranky" when we left at 6:00am.

2. Angel with - get this - Quiet Riot (the Randy and Rudy version) opening at Santa Monica Civic. I'm sick over this one to THIS day. No vacation this time, just restriction for something I can't even remember!!!

Now, I realize living in L.A. I'm spoiled to begin with (I did see Motley's first ever club gig at the Starwood) but those two really hurt!!

[Britt Harlow]

Oh wait, maybe this will make you feel better about the Route of All Evil tour, Ally -

3. Ozzy w/ Randy on the Diary of a Madman tour at Los Angeles Sports Arena - I wouldn't have dreamed of missing it but, my fiance wanted us to go to her friends party that nite, Now, she loved Randy (and despised Ozzy) almost as much as me but swore to me "don't worry, we'll catch the next leg of the tour". Probably won't come as surprise she's my ex now!

[Elizabeth]

Picture it, 1992. I was a few weeks into my freshman year at U.C. Berkeley and we already had midterms. My dorm mates had an extra ticket to go to the Metallica and Guns N Roses concert on a Thursday night in S.F. The night before my first midterm. I didn't go although I did say that I would see them the next time. Well, I am still waiting 16 years later for a next time to see G n R!! I don't even remember what class my mid term was for but I know all of the G n R songs by heart.

Another missed opportunity, my friends in high school skipped school to stand in line at Tower Records to meet Motley Crue during their Dr. Feelgood Tour. Did I go, NO!!! I also didn't go to any concerts in highschool. I have more than made up for lost time.