Every year most of the towns in your area are having Homedays and festivals. All of a sudden you turn to your friend and say: "I can't believe we're hearing this kind of talent for free." Then your friend jokes back at you: Don't say that too loud, or they may want to charge us on the way out." Here is my partial list:
1. Sonny Geraci and the Outsiders, then Billy Joe Royal
2. Gallery, then Maxine Nightingale
3. Al Wilson, then Maxine Nightingale
Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
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Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/20/2011 12:27 AM EDT
- cavaliersfan
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Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/20/2011 1:28 PM EDT
- ZILLAGOD
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Our high school band was pretty good. I seem to remember it was better than being in French class, but not as much fun as trigonometry.
Sorry, that's the only thing I could think of. -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/20/2011 1:36 PM EDT
- EnjoyEverySandwich
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I saw The Subdudes, Sonya Kitchell and Shawn Mullins a few years ago -- there was one other act, too, but I can't remember who it was. That was at the Newburyport River Fest -- they always have great acts.
Decades ago I saw Pure Prairie League -- I think that's when Vince Gill was with them. -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/20/2011 1:44 PM EDT
- p-mike
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When I was in public affairs on NAS Pensacola back in the early '90s, we brought in Joe Walsh, .38 Special and The Moody Blues for a free show sponsored by Malboro cigarettes, of all things (smoking was not yet, at that time, the all-encompassing demon it has since become).
It was a pretty good show and . . . yes . . . Joe Walsh is really like that all the time.
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Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/20/2011 6:42 PM EDT
- jesseyeric
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Saw Starz back in the mid 70's somewhere in Jersey. -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/20/2011 8:56 PM EDT
- carnie
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Last October in Golden Gate Park I saw David Grisman, Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women, Hot Tuna, Indigo Girls, Del McCoury, Nick Lowe, The Flatlanders, Little Feat and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. Sharon Jones was the best of the lot. It was like watching James Brown's band. -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 3:05 AM EDT
- cavaliersfan
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In Response to Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts:I saw The Subdudes, Sonya Kitchell and Shawn Mullins a few years ago -- there was one other act, too, but I can't remember who it was. That was at the Newburyport River Fest -- they always have great acts. Decades ago I saw Pure Prairie League -- I think that's when Vince Gill was with them.
Posted by EnjoyEverySandwich
Vince Gill was with Pure Prarie League. I didn't know that. I learned something new. -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 3:10 AM EDT
- cavaliersfan
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In Response to Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts:Our high school band was pretty good. I seem to remember it was better than being in French class, but not as much fun as trigonometry. Sorry, that's the only thing I could think of.
Posted by ZILLAGOD
ZILLAGOD, What you said above reminds me of that song: What a Wonderful World This Would Be by Jackie Wilson or Sam Cooke. LOL. -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 3:15 AM EDT
- cavaliersfan
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In Response to Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts:Saw Starz back in the mid 70's somewhere in Jersey.
Posted by jesseyeric
Was Starz a group that covered all kinds of catchy tunes and put them together in musical collages with a catchy beat. Or are they something different than what I am thinking about? -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 3:21 AM EDT
- cavaliersfan
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In Response to Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts:When I was in public affairs on NAS Pensacola back in the early '90s, we brought in Joe Walsh, .38 Special and The Moody Blues for a free show sponsored by Malboro cigarettes, of all things (smoking was not yet, at that time, the all-encompassing demon it has since become). It was a pretty good show and . . . yes . . . Joe Walsh is really like that all the time.
Posted by p-mike
Wow, sounds like it was a great concert. Also, you mean Joe Walsh talking like a hippie? -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 3:26 AM EDT
- cavaliersfan
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In Response to Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts:Last October in Golden Gate Park I saw David Grisman, Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women, Hot Tuna, Indigo Girls, Del McCoury, Nick Lowe, The Flatlanders, Little Feat and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. Sharon Jones was the best of the lot. It was like watching James Brown's band.
Posted by carnie
Was this some kind of free concert series put on by a town or did you hear all these artists in one concert? Also, hearing something similar to James Brown's band would be very interesting. Is Sharon Jones like a female James Brown or just her own style? -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 7:26 AM EDT
- jesseyeric
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Do concerts that you snuck into count? -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 8:15 AM EDT
- yogafriend
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In Response to Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts:Do concerts that you snuck into count?I'd love to sneak into a concert with you. :D (Jessey, I had to sneak into work when I was late on a job I had as a kid -- I actually crawled on the floor to get to the door b/c there was a big picture window, and my boss would have seen how late I was if I had walked by the window). I'm cracking up now. :D
Posted by jesseyericDo bar/house bands count when you only pay a cover charge? Most memorable concerts for me were seeing my BF's band, they became pretty well-known in the Boston area. And I got in free (on the guest list). -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 9:04 AM EDT
- SlimPickensIII
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I've seen a slew of them. One that some here would appreciate happened down in Norfolk VA while I was on business in 1996. I was off work, wandering around the park area downtown when I stumbled on to it. Rick Derringer opened, and then Blue Oyster Cult came on. I'm not a huge fan of either, but they were both very good, and I was struck by how many hits BOC actually had. I kept saying "I know that one".
I was also struck by the makeup of the band, two geezers, one named 'Buck', who had to have been original members, plus two kids half their age. See that alot with the old blues acts too. The kids get 'exposure', and they work for peanuts. -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 9:14 AM EDT
- jesseyeric
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It wasn't that hard back in the 70's, especially the outdoor shows at Central Park. Sneaking into MSG was doable every now and then.
The easier thing at MSG was to buy nose-bleed seats for $6 and then work your way down to the Orchestra before the headline act came on. -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 11:05 AM EDT
- MattyScornD
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Wow...so many... The most memorable was Green Day on the Esplanade in 1994, although not for the best reasons, as it devolved into a near-riot.
Two years later, same place, I saw Morphine/TheyMightBeGiants/Cardigans, which was much, much more fun. Mark Sandman (RIP) was an unbelievable performer.
Just this year, I saw Mike Doughty on the waterfront in Newburyport, along with Marc Broussard, Scars On 45, and the Damnwells...courtesy of The River.
Note: Mike is playing again this weekend (w/ Fountains Of Wayne) up in Portsmouth. Technically free but also a benefit, so $10 is the suggested donation. To me, a ten-spot is practically free anyway.
Not counting shows in which I was given free tix or otherwise snuck into (in my halcyon days)... -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 12:38 PM EDT
- p-mike
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In Response to Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts:In Response to Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts : Wow, sounds like it was a great concert. Also, you mean Joe Walsh talking like a hippie?
Posted by cavaliersfan
It really was a very good show, and what I mean about Walsh is that he comes across as if he is totally wasted, even when he's not (or not obviously so). He's a very interesting character. Joe was the first guy who ever told me that joke about how the pirate got the pegleg, the hook and the eyepatch. -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 1:14 PM EDT
- yogafriend
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Saw Morphine a few times, too, actually. There were tribute concerts for Mark up until the recent past in Cambridge -- not sure if they're still bringing them. They've been pretty decent, with many local notables playing for free. -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 2:51 PM EDT
- carnie
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In Response to Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts:In Response to Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts : Was this some kind of free concert series put on by a town or did you hear all these artists in one concert? Also, hearing something similar to James Brown's band would be very interesting. Is Sharon Jones like a female James Brown or just her own style?Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. It happens every October and is funded by a San Francisco billionaire, Warren Hellman. Last year something like 500,000 people from all over the world were in attendance. And although the name mentions bluegrass and bluegrass music is well represented, it's more of a roots music festival. The best part is that it's free.
Posted by cavaliersfan -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/22/2011 3:40 PM EDT
- leafswin27
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Midnight Oil played Earth Day at the Hatch Shell one year. Great live band -
Re: Your Most Memorable Free Concerts
posted at 8/25/2011 7:46 PM EDT
- AGUY1
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Free concerts? I've been to hundreds and very little was free.
Lowell use to have the "RiverFest". For free saw Joe Cocker, Black Crows and Peter Wolf. Three different shows in three different years then they stopped doing it.
Another more recent free one Brian Wilson. You can join the Harpoon club at Harpoon.com for free. As a member, they offer discounts and the occasional free or reduced price for shows. They once gave away tickets for Brian Wilson at the Orpheum. It did however cost $15 for a Harpoon which was the only beer they were selling that night.