Part of my "Plan" to get back on stage is to get out to some live shows, enjoy the music and observe the performers. I stopped going to shows a few years back, for several reasons- I have a short attention span, I hate crowds and strangers in my personal bubble, the 6'-8" guy always stands in front of me, and it irks me to pay the "convenience fee" just for the privelege of buying a ticket (whose convenience? Certainly not mine). Also, due to the aforementioned lack of musically-inclined friends, I have a hard time finding someone to go with me, and I hate spending $50 to stand in a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd behind a 6'-8" tall dude, by myself (wow, I sounded really old right there...)
Well, this is pretty ridiculous, given the fact that I live in San Francisco (and if I lived in LA, I should be fined for being so musically negligent!) Choosing the right venue makes a whole world of difference- I'd skip the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and anything with "Arena" in the name, and after Outside Lands last year in Golden Gate Park, I'll probably also skip anything that claims to be a "Festival" (I don't think I'll ever get over the trauma of the sound cutting out not once but THREE TIMES during Radiohead's set). But I've now seen two or three really good shows at the Fillmore, where I can easily get within 20 feet of the stage (but Mr. 6'-8" will still be in front of me, oh well). The best outdoor venue (IMO) is the Greek at UC Berkeley, which feels cozy even when there's 10,000 people in there. This week I'll find out if the Independent is worthwhile when I see the Bowerbirds there.
The other key for me has been, somewhat obviously, choosing the right performer, and for this I'd like to thank KCRW and Youtube. Just because I like a few tracks by Kasabian doesn't mean I want to stand there for an hour just to see them... or maybe I do. So now, when I find out about an upcoming show, I check out some of their "live" stuff on Youtube- if my mouth drops open, it's good sign. Here's a few that made that happen: Bon Iver, Phoenix, Jose Gonzalez. If it's so-so, I'll save my $50 for the mini.
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