46 JUSt|OUt
JULY21.20W
Encore Presentation
Reliving my favorite concert moments
I
t was 20 years ago today. Well, almost.
As someone with a pathological ability
to recall trivial dates, 1 recently realized that
a big milestone is approaching: the 20th
anniversary of my first live concert experi
ence. Of course, I’m not counting all the times
my dad dragged me and my brother to see him
conduct the Salem Pops Orchestra. I’m talking
about rawk ’n' roll.
It was July 25, 1986, and Eurythmics were
kicking off their Revenge tour right here in
Portland at Memorial Coliseum. 1 managed to
score a fifth-row seat because 1 went solo; as a
sexually confused 14-year-old, 1 didn’t dare tell any
friends about my obsession with Annie Lennox for
fear that they would suspect 1 was queer.
This was back in the days when everyone was
still titillated by the notion of an “androgynous”
female rock star. “Always an enigma, Lennox has
blurred the lines between the sexes with her short
cropped hair,” The Oregonian wrote in its preview
of the concert. (Another sign of the times: The
ticket price was a mere $16.)
Annie Lennox strips down during Eurythmies’
Revenge tour—my first concert ever.
As the Hack curtain slowly unzipped—it was
designed to resemble the leather top worn by
Lennox in the video for "Missionary Man”—I near
ly passed out. In my haze of glee I remember blow
ing a kiss to her, and I swear she blew me a kiss in
return. Sweet dreams are made of this!
All of these flashbacks got me to thinking about
some of my other memorable concert experiences,
for better and for worse:
• The Pretenders: “We’re not that good, real
ly!” Chrissie Hynde told the overjoyed crowd in
2000 at Roseland Theater. Talk about humility.
• Red Hot Chili Peppers: Sure, I have fond
memories of staring at shirtless Anthony Kiedis
back in 1992 in my hometown of Salem, but the
real draws were the soon-to-explode opening acts:
Pearl Jam and Nirvana.
• The B-52’s: Another incredible triple head
er, with the party band from Athens, Ga., joined by
The Go-Go’s and The Psychedelic Furs. 1 flew all
the way to Reno, Nev., for this show in 2000.
• Junior Senior: What a shocking surprise this
2003 Seattle show turned out to be. The Danish
BY JIM RADOSTA
gay-straight duo was joined by two equally
energetic openers, Ima Robot and United State of
Electronica.
• Frankie Goes to Hollywood: What a shocking
disappointment this 2000 Berbati’s show turned out
to be. 1 thought the band had broken up, but 1 bought
tickets anyway. Turns out 1 should’ve done my
research: A bunch of crappy impostors somehow
acquired the rights to the name, so instead of queer
singer Holly Johnson, we were stuck with some
straight dude who dry-humped the stage during his
excruciating rendition of “Relax.” Lesson learned.
• Don Henley: Another good rule of thumb:
Don’t see the same artist twice in a row, unless
you want to hear the same “spontaneous” banter
repeated verbatim to different crowds. During my
short-lived fancy for the ex-Eagle in 1991, I saw
him in Salem and in Irvine, Calif. Never again.
• Moby: Yeah, the guy’s eco-friendly, but did
he have to recycle his entire schtick? I admired
Moby for putting together 2001’s Area: One
Music Festival in George, Wash.—a stunningly
eclectic lineup that included OutKast and New
Order with surprise guest Billy Corgan on
guitar—but he went from my hit list to my shit
list a year later in Bristow, Va. Not only did he
basically do the same set, complete with self-
congratulatory comments between songs, hut he
made David Bowie play second fiddle to his
headliner status. The nerve!
• A Flock of Seagulls: In 1982 they were in
the Top 10 with “I Ran (So Far Away).” In 2004
they were on a street corner in downtown
Portland performing that new wave classic for dis
interested athletes zipping by the stage during
Nike’s ill-conceived Run Hit Wonder tour. Did I
mention the showtime was 8 a.m.?
• Hole: What were they thinking? Courtney
Love and Marilyn Manson hardly share the same
fan base, but someone thought it would be a good
idea for them to share the same bill in 1999 at the
Rose Garden. After being heckled by her former
hometown, Love cut her set short and soon
dropped out of the tour.
• Paul McCartney: As with any good show, let’s
end on a high note. When the former Beatle
performed in 2002 at the Rose Garden, I was blown
away by the breadth of his catalog, the enduring
relevancy of his compositions and the strength of his
live show. Tears came to my eyes when Macca
capped it off with a finale featuring the most inspired
segue ever: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”
into "The End." Truly music to my ears. ©
Arts and Culture Editor JlM RADOSTA needs your
feedback. Write to jim@justout.com.