Aw, man, I just covered nearly my entire Sting history with you. What else could be left?

Plenty.

First of all I wanted to make clear that the previous Sting review featured a concert from the "...Nothing Like the Sun" tour. It was his second solo effort. I didn't really address that.

The tour featured here was the "Soul Cages" tour. The "Soul Cages" album was the first album to be built "from the ground up" in QSound. I know. Sounds totally impressive, right? Long story short, this album just sounded "better". 

Kind of. I guess. Seems like if you had cruddy speakers, it wouldn't really matter how the album was recorded or mastered. I had a decent enough sound system at the time, and I thought it was just OK. "QSound" certainly didn't make it sound worse.

The Soul Cages album was written after a period of writer's block for Sting. His father also died during the same period. So despite the song "Mad About You" (above), many of the lyrics center around his feelings of loss. 

Sting's writer's block was ended when he wrote the first song for the album called "Why Should I Cry For You?". It was always my favorite song on the album. It's a very pretty melody, paired with touching lyrics about his dad, who had regretted not being a sailor. Here's a recent rendition

During this time, there was a push for artists and record companies to stop using something called "longboxes"; cardboard sleeves which doubled the size of a CD, so that it could fit into the old vinyl record album racks. They also helped prevent theft (kind of). It was a serious waste of paper.

These days you may occasionally see a plastic version of a "longbox" that is removed and reused when you purchase a new CD.

The Soul Cages was released in a special cardboard sleeve that folded into a box the size of a typical CD jewel box. You have to give credit to Sting for not just talking about the environment, but actually doing something different to help the cause.

Sting also stripped sown his band for the new album. His first couple of albums and tours featured about thirteen musicians performing with him. This tour featured a smaller "rock band"- type of group. 
Our seats were high, and near the back. The new slower songs and warm temps in the arena, made for a sleepy night. My future ex-wife actually fell asleep at one point, thanks also to her college class schedule.
It was like a splash of cold water when Sting decided to rock it up a little bit, with Purple Haze, by Jimi Hendrix.

This would be the last time I would see Sting live until he toured with The Police in 2008. I saw him three times in just a few years, and got burnt out.

One last little tidbit. It was around this time that my boss went to see Sting live in a different city (Atlanta? I don't remember). Before she left, I asked her to get me Sting's autograph. She did!

It was then that I learned that getting an autograph is a much bigger deal when there's actual interaction between the fan and the artist.

I appreciated the effort, but the fact that it's on a restaurant receipt makes it lose some of its luster. It's not like he signed MY piece of paper, you know?

Ever seen Sting? Are you a fan? Share your comments below!

It will be fun recapping recent concerts like this, thanks to YouTube and digital photos.

I got tickets to see Muse only the day before the show. When a listener didn't pick up tickets by Friday at 5pm, guess what happened to them. [Hint: we didn't throw them away.] So free tickets for me!

Since it was a last-minute ticket get, my friends had other plans for the night. So I asked my sister, Julie, if she wanted to go. She did!

I was a little surprised only because we don't really share my taste in music. Sure, there's some overlap, but she lives on mostly a Billy Joel/Elton John planet, whereas I come from a planet with a Tom Waits/Radiohead-colored sky.

At the same time, I wasn't surprised at all. My sister is pretty cool, and is up for the occasional adventure. 

[she also may have been returning the favor for me taking her to see Richard Marx many years earlier (story to come)]

When we sat down, I was bummed that the seats were so dang far away. I felt bad for the people who ever won tickets, thinking they were getting awesome seats.

It turned out to be not so bad. Muse took the whole arena into consideration when planning this show. There were lasers and video screens and moving platforms and all sorts of things we may not have appreciated had we been too close. 

I first discovered Muse when I saw a live performance from Wembley stadium on cable. Then I found their "Starlight" video, and I was hooked. 

I was a little late to the game. Muse was also part of the Twilight movie soundtrack around the same time, and they were exploding into the public's consciousness.

I was such a new fan, that I didn't even own the latest album that the band was promoting. "The Resistance", and it's single "Uprising" was a worldwide smash, and Muse became a Real Band.

In the middle of the show, all of a sudden my sister said "Why do I know this song?" It was a song I wasn't familiar with, and I was totally baffled. She was singing along, and knew all the words. It was odd.

Doing research later, I discovered that song was "Feeling Good", a song that has been recorded by at least 25 different artists, including Nina Simone. My sister knew the version by Michael Bublé. I wasn't yet familiar with Muse's version. I am now!

Earlier in the night, as we waited for the show to begin, we noticed some huge, "beach ball"-type balls way up the rafters of the Palace. My assumption was that they had something to do with Pistons basketball games, and we forgot about them. Then when the band started up "Plug In Baby", we found out what the balls were really for. 

Remember at the beginning of the post, when I said how modern media will help with some of these reviews? Well, here's exactly what happened at the show:

This show made me a Muse fan for life. They were so great, so entertaining, so professional. It was very impressive.

Have you even sen Muse? Are you a fan? Share your comments below!

Hey, didn't I just write about The Replacements? Yes. Yes, I did. And there'll be more in the future. This was the first time I saw them.

They were a band I loved, and they were making the rounds as I became "Adult Concert-Going" age. Soon after, they broke up. 

I was actually pretty okay with that. They weren't really the band I fell in love with anymore. It happens [see: Sting]. And I didn't really follow any of the members as they pursued new projects. There was something about "The Replacements" as a group that made them all special.

That was how they started, and about ten years later, even lead Replacement Paul Westerberg admits that there was something wrong with the album "Don't Tell A Soul".

"Don't Tell A Soul" came out about a month before this concert, so it was still totally fresh and exciting.

I was either still working at a record store, or just started at a pizza place in March 1989. One of my record store co-workers, Sue, was also a Replacements fan. I went with her and her boyfriend to one of the forty bars jammed into 2.08 square miles of Hamtramck, MI for a Replacements record release party. (I couldn't tell you which one it was.) 

But it was the same bar we visited for a book release party not long before. 

[The book "The Wild One: The True Story of Iggy Pop" by Per Nilsen is going for more than $50 on Amazon. Anyone interested in buying my copy? It's in way better condition that the one in this pic:]

The night of the book party was fun. I got the author's autograph on my book, as well as a signature from Ron Asheton, bass player for The Stooges. 

The second time at the bar, while waiting for the party to begin, the bartender noticed that I was only 18. I wasn't drinking, and wasn't planning on drinking, but I couldn't stay. They didn't check ID at the door, so I just walked in. I wasn't trying to be sneaky.

Gary and Sue had to drive me back to my car at Gary's apartment. They didn't seem totally upset about having  but Sue asked why I didn't have a fake ID. I was a Good Kid!

I believe it was also the three of us who went to the show at the Michigan Theatre. Once again, the set list escapes me. But I remember really enjoying it, and being so happy to see one of may all-time faves for the first time.

There was a time when Coldplay was not one of the biggest bands in the world. In 2003, I was lucky enough to be at one of their last "small" shows. It will be a long time before they go back to regularly playing intimate venues like the Fox Theatre in Detroit. As I write this, Coldplay is scheduled to play at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Aug 1, 2012. A quick internet search tells me that floor tickets are being resold at $600-$800.

Look at that ticket ticket price above: $35. Are they amazing seats because I was lucky enough to have a job with connections? Yes. But I didn't get a discount. Thirty-five dollars!

Coldplay hit it big in 2000 when they released the song "Yellow". It was a worldwide smash, and put the band on the map. (To find Coldplay on the map, head east toward U2, then make a slight left.) 

"Yellow" was actually the second single to be released from Parachutes. The first was "Shiver". I didn't know it was a single at the time, but it ended up being my favorite song on the album. So much so that I got totally sick of it. I played the heck out of it. 

I'm past the sickness of the song. I can enjoy it once again.

Just look at these fresh-faced, innocent youngsters...

So my admiration for Coldplay was already waning when they released their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head, in August 2002. The songs were richer and fuller, thanks to the increased production values. They avoided the dreaded "sophomore slump" that can curse so many "second things" that various artists attempt.

The band started writing the album shortly after 9/11/01, and some of the melancholy feelings of those days crept into the lyrics and melodies. Also adding to an extra layer of interest in the band: actress Gwyneth Paltrow was now dating lead singer, Chris Martin. (They would marry in Dec 2003.)

I would really challenge anyone to listen to the "Rush of Blood" album and find a "radio hit". There's just not anything on the album like that. It's a great album, and (as of this post) has sold nearly 3 million copies. It's the largest Coldplay album to date.

"Clocks" ended up being the big radio hit from the album, but my favorite was always "The Scientist". It's so good, that Willie Nelson covered it for charity.

You can download the full song at iTunes.  Proceeds benefit The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation. I'm not sure what they do, but if Willie's involved, that's good enough for me.

In March of 2003, Coldplay was in the middle of their climb to the top, where they are today. They had been touring for nearly a year, and there were only a few more dates left until they were done. The concert I attended not only imprinted the memory of this rising young band, it changed how I perceive myself. 

Forever.

I was 32 years old when I saw this show. I had a great night with my wife and some friends. As the usher sat us in the third row seats, I was digging life. I turned to the young lady next to me and said sarcastically "too bad we couldn't get better seats, eh?"

She recoiled in horror and I realized that she was like, 16. Holy crap! An old man was talking to her! Ew!

She scooted a little closer to her friend, away from me. OK, that kind of thing has happened before. I was just trying to be friendly.

The show was pretty good. There was something odd about the show that I couldn't quite put my finger on while it was happening. The band was fine, but I felt like Chris Martin was singing to the back of the room, and ignoring the bunch of us in front. I'd never been so close, yet felt so ignored like this.

Then it hit me: He wasn't ignoring the front rows, he was ignoring the pasty, pudgy old guy! (Me!) And why shouldn't he? There was an entire theater full of screaming sixteen-year-olds like the young lady next to me. I felt so un-special.

It wasn't a soul-crushing experience, but something that stuck with me. I ain't no teenager anymore. A little more than a year later I'd be a dad, and Chris Martin would mean much less to me.

Coldplay has since gone on to become one of the biggest artists on the planet, releasing their latest, Mylo Zyloto, in 2011. I'm guessing they probably have another three or four albums left in them before they go back to playing "small club dates" not because they can't fill stadiums, but because they are "returning to their roots". Maybe I'll go see them again when they do.

Were you at the show? Have you seen Coldplay? Share your experiences in the comments below!

Lenny Kravitz opened for The Cult on this tour, and I remember his performance being far superior to The Cult's.

Before he became LENNY KRAVITZ, Lenny Kravitz was a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter. His debut album, "Let Love Rule" was (and is) an amazing album for any artist to release, let alone a brand-new artist. There weren't many "radio friendly" hits on the album, but has sold nearly 3 million units worldwide.

His follow-up "Mama Said" contains many hits, and is likely the album that introduced you to Lenny. The singles "Always On the Run", "It Ain't Over 'til it's Over" and "Fields of Joy" were huge. His next album "Are You Gonna Go My Way" was even bigger. He's a talented dude.

I felt bad for The Cult having to follow such an amazing performance. Lenny (and his band) really blew them off the stage.
 
The Cult was touring following the release of their fifth album, "Ceremony". I remember playing "Wild Hearted Son" at 89x quite often.

But that was their second single with the word "Wild" in the title. That kind thing bugs me (perhaps irrationally). After this album, my interest in The Cult quickly disappeared. It's not that I suddenly thought they were bad, I just grew tired of their signature sound.

This was the first of two shows the artists played in Detroit. The seats at the Fox were not filled.  This same night, next door at the State Theatre, there was a musical concert tribute happening for Detroit music legend, Rob Tyner of the MC5. There were many guest stars, and it was a really special night. But that's not where I was.

I blocked out a lot of what happened at the show at the Fox, because my future ex-wife and I got into an arguem... er... "discussion" after Lenny's set. I don't recall all the details, but it started somewhere around me not noticing pretty nail polish.

After all these years of maturing, I now realize that there were other issues behind the arguem... er... "discussion". But at 21 years-old, it was about nail polish. So I was confused and bummed for most of the rest of the night.

Don't worry about us. We have since made up, and then got divorced. But still, I don't think it was because of this concert.

With all that happening, the main thing I took away from the show was that Lenny Kravitz is a very talented performer. Oh, and guys... check out your lady's nail polish once in a while.

The album Synchronicity by The Police was released in June of 1983. It was huge. The songs "King of Pain", "Wrapped Around Your Finger" and "Every Breath You Take" are all from that album, and it was a huge success. 

Christmas of 1983, I got Synchronicity from my parents, along with a cassette / record player combo. I fell in love with that record player and The Police. They had a sound that appealed to a budding music student like me. Interesting lyrics and fascinating musical arrangements had me hooked.

It was my first Police album, and over the course of the next few months, I bought each album (coincidentally in reverse chronological order), and discovered that the further you went back, the more interesting The Police became.

So many of us are familiar with (and tired of) songs like "Roxanne" and "Message in a Bottle". But some of the deeper album cuts are so much better.

When I was fourteen, I wanted to be Sting. No, seriously.  I asked my mom once if I might have high cheekbones one day like Sting. She said I might. (I don't, but that's ok, mom. I have a fuller hairline than him.) I can still imitate the exact pose that he had in the Police poster on my wall. (meet me in person, and I'll show you!)

I had T-shirts, buttons, cloth banners and even a school folder featuring The Police. I saw the movies Dune, Brimstone & Treacle and The Bride, simply because Sting was in them. I saw "The Police: Synchronicity" and "Bring on the Night" concert films at the theater. I bought every piece of Police memorabilia that I could afford on my paperboy's wages.

I was kind of a fan.

Just about the very second I became such a huge fan, The Police broke up. The huge success of the Synchronicity album pulled them apart.

Fortunately for us Police fans, Sting soon released his first solo effort, The Dream of the Blue Turtles. Just as I typed those words, I realized that I haven't actually listened to it in a long time. In fact, I don't even think I own it on CD. 

My mom drove me to K-Mart to buy the cassette. One of the first things I noticed before even opening it, was that the song "Shadows in the Rain" appeared as the last song. But that's a Police song from the 1980 Zenyatta Mondatta album. That blew my teenage mind!

Sting's first solo album is filled with catchy, jazzy tunes, including "If You Love Somebody" and the rearrangement of "Shadows". I was fine with that, since I knew that Sting loved Jazz. The album is fun and exciting and full of solo Sting potential.

So now I was a Solo Sting fan, as was my friend Dave, who went to this concert with me.

This has been my only visit to Masonic Temple in Detroit to date. It was the first of two shows he performed there. I saw Sting at the Palace later this same year. I ended up seeing him a total of three times, plus the Police reunion tour.

Seeing your favorite artist multiple times can have a downside. You start to see their "tricks". Ever hear Sting sing "Message In a Bottle" or "Roxanne" live? He uses a slightly different arrangement than the album versions, but it's always the same "new and different" way. Every. Single. Time. 

But that issue wasn't an issue the first time I saw him. His massive, multi-talented backup band was amazing. The show was full of energy as he went through the Police back catalog and the new solo stuff.The thing I remember most from the show is that the venue discouraged dancing. Every time we stood up to jam out and enjoy the show, they'd shine a flashlight in our face to have us sit down.

It was a nice place to see a show. Had I realized I'd never be back, I'd have paid more attention to interior of the venue.

My love for Sting slowly waned from album to album. I can't even tell you the name of any of his last few releases. He changed his style, which every performer has the right to do, so I ain't mad at him... except for one thing. There was one little misstep that changed my relationship with him forever.

Remember, this guy helped form my musical tastes in my teen years. Those years are when so many people find their favorites that will stick with them for life.

So it made me a little sad, when in 1993 the guy that wrote this:

Did THIS:

That's when he lost me.

I still enjoy the occasional new Sting song now and then. I really liked the album "Ten Summoner's Tales", and more recently, "Brand New Day". But I very rarely listen to a Sting tune, and only occasionally find myself revisiting The Police.

Like I said, I ain't mad at him. And I appreciate what The Police did for my teenage self. 

Keep checking back through the year for reviews of the other times I saw Sting. Have you seen him? Were you at this show? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

February 14th was (and probably still is) my future ex-wife's birthday, so she was never a big fan of Valentine's Day. We always focussed on her birthday instead. To celebrate in 1991, I took her to see my all-time favorite band at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, MI (although she probably drove).

But I have a predicament.

I'm getting Replacements shows mixed up in my mind.

It's a good thing I kept so many stubs. Without a Facebook record or digital pictures, I feel like some of these shows would completely vanish from my skull.

I saw The Replacements three times in the course of a couple of years. Twenty-one years ago. 

I really don't know which memories apply to which shows. In particular, two of them are intertwined: a show in July 1991, and this show from February. I'm not sure how to handle this, except to tell you what I think happened.

But to understand my main Replacements story, you need to understand my Replacements history.

The Replacements formed in Minnesota in 1979. They pioneered indy-garage rock by doing absolutely doing nothing more than having fun while performing and writing great songs. 

They were sloppy drunk on stage and in the studio. Sometimes they wouldn't even finish a show. The audience would boo them off the stage. I once had a bootleg LP of a show they tried to perform in New York. It was a complete disaster, and I wish someone hadn't stolen that from me so I could share some clips.

They were known as unreliable and uninterested in fame. And they would have gotten away with it, too if it wasn't for Paul Westerberg's lyrics. They were clever, sad, touching and funny.

Before I had a driver's license, my pal Mike occasionally drove me school and introduced me to The 'mats (their nickname (short for 'placemats', duh)) around the time of their album "Tim". 

It was their first major-label album, but I wasn't really aware of that kind of a transition, I just knew I liked 'em.  I borrowed and recorded cassette tapes to build my library. (I eventually ended up paying for it all, some of twice, ok? They got their money out of me. Eventually.)

To this day, I still love crunchy guitars and clever vocals sung with passion. I have no doubt that The Replacements are the main reason for that pocket of my musical tastes.

With all that said, my memories are becoming clearer about these shows. The February show was definitely the "less eventful" of the two that I have mixed up, but I already typed all of the above. That's how this blog works: me throwing my thoughts at you and not taking them back if they're wrong.

Looking at the seat location of each, I definitely remember being bummed out in the Mezzanine of the July show instead of the Main Floor of this one.

I have only vague memories of the songs played. I think there may have been an acoustic version of "Here Comes A Regular" for which the audience had to supply some of the lyrics.

Or maybe I heard a recorded version of that. Memories are weird.

This show was fun, but fairly uneventful, so now I feel like I misled you at the beginning of this post. Sorry about that. 

But fret not! I have two more shows in February to share. Recaps of those shows will reveal more about my personality than I'd like. And in July, when I get to the other 1991 Replacements show, you'll get to know my loser side even better.

Ever see The Replacements? Were you at this show? Share in the comments below!

John Wesley Harding and The Ocean Blue opened for The Mighty Lemon Drops at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit. Total price for each ticket: $13.50.

Some of these re-caps are difficult because I don't remember a lot of details about some of the shows, such as specific songs. This show was 22 years ago. That's more than half my life, so I hope I can be forgiven for some of the occasional vague details.

I do have feelings about most of the tickets I have. The thing I recall most about this show was that it was a lot of fun, and it was a good night.

Like many of the shows I'll cover, I was there with my future ex-wife. At this point we'd known each other for about a year, and we were excited to see these bands.

As I mentioned in my Ministry recap, I had to do much of my musical education on my own. I found myself drawn to British artists like Elvis Costello, Echo and the Bunnymen, and The Mighty Lemon Drops.

We were (and, I suppose, still are) fans of The Ocean Blue. Although they were from Hershey, PA, they shared the jangly Brit-pop guitar sound with The Mighty Lemon Drops. So they were a good fit.

During their set, they threw out Hershey's Kisses ('cause that's where they're from, get it?). I don't recall catching any of them. 

We had great seats, though. I haven't been to St. Andrew's Hall in a while (I'll be going back soon), so I don't know if the upper level is open anymore, but it was then. We got there early enough that we were just to the right of the stage in that balcony level. So we were just feet away, looking down from above, in seats. Comfy.

I don't recall being familiar with John Wesley Harding before we saw him, but it's possible we knew who he was. We worked at a record store, and we were hip to new stuff. (And I would meet him a little over a year later, but that'll be a story for the Radio Bucket)

I do remember that he did an acoustic version of Madonna's "Like A Prayer". Which at the time was pretty Novel and Awesome. Nowadays, it's pretty common for an "alternative" artist to do their own versions of pop songs. 

It's irony or something.

Like I said at the beginning, I don't remember tons of details, but I remember it was a good time, and I bought a Mighty Lemon Drops T-shirt that I wore until it wore through. 

I'm sure there's a photo of me somewhere wearing it, but I'm still waiting on getting that box back from my baby mama. 

Were you a fan of these bands? Or St. Andrew's Hall? Were you at this show? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

Winter is a slow time for concert tours, as many artists take holidays off, and avoid traveling in the snow. So it's always nice to catch a show from an artist you really like in January.

One of the things I always enjoyed about working at 96.3 in Detroit in the early  2000's was that we did  "Intimate and Acoustic" shows. We'd invite maybe 100 people (listeners, station staff and clients) to come see an artist perform in a small room. It was pretty cool. A station will still do that kind of thing here and there, but back around 2003, we did them often. We featured Nelly Furtado, Train and many more, including David Gray. 

The afternoon of his show, David performed to around 100 people at the original home of Second City Detroit (now the City Theatre), next door to the Fox Theatre.

Seeing a favorite artist live is always a treat, but a little show like this on a Sunday afternoon was really neat. David played a few songs, and was interviewed by our Music Director, Ann Delisi.

He seemed a little quiet. Probably tired. It wasn't detrimental to the experience, it was just something I noticed. It can be strange for an artist on the road to have to break routine. The dude was probably sleeping on the tour bus a half an hour earlier.

Or, maybe he's like that all the time. I wouldn't have a clue! 

That's something that I tried to remember back in my Golden Age of Meeting Famous People. You're only meeting this person for a little tiny slice of time. It may be the most exciting moment of your life, but they may have had a bad turkey sandwich the night before. Maybe they're concerned about a family member back home. Maybe they just got Skyrim and they can't wait to play it. Whatever it is, they just ain't feelin' it. 

I'm not saying that's how this Sunday went at all. It was a really nice experience, just quiet. David was nice, friendly and took time for pictures and autographs.

[Looking at that picture of him signing that magazine for a fan, I recall that it may have been his first look at that particular article.]

Later that night, the show was at the Fox Theatre, which is always warm and inviting. If you're going to see a winter show, it's the perfect place.

He was touring in support of the New Day at Midnight album, and still riding the buzz of the previous album. Because White Ladder took a long time to gain traction in the US after its release in 2000, it was still fresh in the minds of a lot of fans in the States. 

It was a great show, and I was lucky enough to get good seats because of my job. But the section was fairly empty due to Super Bowl XXXVII happening at the exact same time (The Buccaneers defeated the Raiders, 48–21).

There were two gentlemen in our section a few seats down who were obviously either record company representatives or something else having to do with the tour. (Baseball caps and lanyards are a dead giveaway.) They were chatty, and I actually had to "shush" them a couple of times during the acoustic numbers. It didn't ruin the show, but it's kind of a bummer that that's my most vivid memory of it.

I lost touch with David Gray musically over the years.

It might just be time for me to get reacquainted with Mr. Gray!

Please share your David Gray memories in the comments below!