Poor thing has been a bit battered in the recent bad weather. Well I still think it deserves a moment to shine.

I was having a chat with our son last night about how life has changed recently. It’s only really now that some of the implications are starting to feed through. I will only focus on one small part of the conversation as this post could have ended up as long as the extended Directors Cut version of War and Peace.

Son struggles with social settings. It’s a well established element of Aspergers. He will actively pull away from crowds and groups. One of the only exceptions to that has been Rock Concerts. He still feels uncomfortable there but for a variety of reasons he can cope. He can put his hood over his head and no one will notice. He likes the fact that rock crowds seem very welcoming of any person, any look, any characteristic. With the noise no one is likely to talk to him. When the lights go out, no one can see him. You are just one hidden person in a sea of people. Plus he really loves the music.

So far he has seen Iron Maiden, Hollywood Vampires (with Johnny Depp), Alice Cooper, Kiss, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Thunder, Shinedown, Status Quo, The Darkness, The Damned, The Stranglers and Status Quo. He’s also seen his favourite band – Alter Bridge.

Before the pandemic kicked in he was hoping to see more. The likes of Whitesnake, Foreigner, Europe, Ozzy, Aerosmith and The Who. But the pandemic changed the world. Most of these have been postponed or cancelled.

When concerts restart what will they look like. Will the days of standing shoulder to shoulder return. Will people have to wear masks. What number of fans will be allowed in. How close will you be able to get to the band. Will you need to be vaccinated before you attend. Will certain fans be excluded (age, health factors). Will all the fans want to return. Will it just be open air concerts. Will it be the new idea of drive in concerts. Will some bands just give up. Who knows.

The pandemic also changed son’s life. It has sent his social and health fears into overdrive. Changed the balance and how he sees the world. Things which were acceptable have been tipped into the no go area. Those changes might be temporary or they could be permanent. Only time will tell. But certainly his concert days are at best on long term hold. That’s the thing about Aspergers, changes in external factors can have a huge internal impact. Lasting impacts.

Regardless of any more virus related developments, I just can’t see son wanting to go to a concert this year, probably next as well. Maybe that fragile corridor that allowed him to venture into a concert crowd has been broken on a much more permanent basis. We just have to wait and see. Maybe going forward our own music festivals are the way forward. Buy a concert dvd and hold the event in our living room or garden. We can still put the T-shirts on, have the snacks, drinks and a burger. We can even turn the lights out and crank up the speakers. Best thing – no masks required. No queues for toilets as well….

That doesn’t help the concert industry. I just hope they and the bands find a way through this mess.

So maybe that’s no concerts for Dad as well for sometime. But it is what it is. I’ve been so lucky to see so much music over the years. So as I move into a barren concert period let’s pause and see what my memory is like. Lets see how many of the artists I have seen over the years, I can actually remember. The good, the bad and the ugly. I’ve set myself 10 minutes (so I might miss a few). Here goes….

Whitesnake x4, Motörhead, Deep Purple x3, Black Sabbath, Ozzy, Dio, Rory Gallagher, Tin Machine (David Bowie), Scorpions, UFO, Meatloaf x3, Blackfoot, Mountain, Alaska, Saxon, Magnum, The Firm, Eric Clapton, Tom Jones, Ronan Keating (x2) my partner to blame for that…. Blue Oyster Cult, Alice Cooper x3, Gary Moore, Deacon Blue, The Kinks, Kirsty MacColl, Pink Floyd, Nils Lofgren, Killswitch Engage, Birdland, Bernie Torme, Roy Harper, Suzy Quatro, Paul Rodgers, Chris Rea, Marillion, Runrig, Asia, Al Stewart, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, Terence Trent D’arby, Simple Minds, Lou Reed, Bonnie Riatt, Chrissie Hynde, Jackson Brown, Little Steven, Bryan Adams, Squeeze, Tina Turner, Extreme, Was Not Was, Lyle Lovett, plus those with son.

Ten minutes up….

86 thoughts on “Bit battered”

  1. Here’s your starter for ten …
    Erasure, Genesis, Meatloaf, Deacon Blue, Take that x3, Robbie Williams, Queen, Beautiful South, Then Jericho, The Killers, Coldplay, Stereophonics, Eric Clapton, Bruce Springsteen, Duran Duran x3, Jamie Cullam, Snow Patrol, Rush, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Bon Jovi x3, Transvision Vamp, Del Amitri, Stone Roses, Travis, Paul Heaton, House of Love, Billy Joel, George Michael, Seal, Jeff Beck
    …. times up.

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  2. Nope. I haven’t seen any of those in concert or out of concert. 😁 My oldest brother took me to see Duran Duran, Pat Benatar and Glass Tiger. 😁 There may have been another one. Can’t remember. Did I see Madonna? I don’t think so. Oh, it might have been Cindy Lauper. But I was a huge Madonna fan. My oldest brother’s fault. He launched my music life. I had a big framed poster over my bed of her. A huge poster of her face, and I used to try and dress like her. 😁 Yep, good times.

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  4. Wow
    Amazing. I saw Michael Jackson at Wembley, and had Prince Charles and Dianna opposite me. Cher in Vegas. Johnny Cash herein Florida. Duane eddy, Jerry Lee Lewis, in Margate, Gerry and the Pacemakers in Canterbury, Herman’s Hermits several times Busch Gardens and SeaWorld. Then loads of other ones at Busch Gardens over the years.

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  6. I love how he can enjoy concerts! Sorry how Covid has messed that up but yes home concerts can be done! 🙂 Front row seats!
    Wow on all he has seen and what you have seen! That is a lot! My husband and son have seen a lot of them too!

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  9. My running list is on my About page (visible on computers or www view).

    I had soooo much fun at Tom Jones!! Alice Cooper was a disappointment because he opened on a large stage for Motley Cru, but his show seemed scaled for a small stage. But, hey, it was free (comp for blood donation) and got me to see Motley Cru!!

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  11. Concerts I coped well with and football matches but other social gatherings of any size were a no-no for me.
    I have seen the likes of Kiss, Whitesnake, Extreme, Dio, Scorpions etc in my time.

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  12. Where I live, we don’t get big stars here very often. So when we do, they get sold out very quickly,lol. Have you thought of maybe the little pubs? Actually your son may not be allowed into the little pubs. I always find that the little pubs do fantastic…my mind has gone blank…Tribute like shows? Is that the word I’m thinking of,lol

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  14. Here’s my 10 minutes’ worth:- the Monkees, Ultravox, Bon Jovi, Tina Turner, David Bowie, U2, Simple Minds, Japan, Echo and the Bunnymen, The Smiths, The Cure, The Jam, Paul Weller, Siouxie & The Banshees, The Pretenders, Elvis Costello, Guns N Roses, Lenny Kravitz, The Stranglers, ABC, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Roxy Music, Madness, The Specials, UB40, John Newman, Eurythmics, Alison Moyet, Yazoo, Depeche Mode, Simple Minds, Big Country, Men at Work, INXS, Hall & Oates, Squeeze, Bananarama, John Foxx, Midge Ure, Thompson Twins, Cocteau Twins, New Order, Prince, Aerosmith, Talking Heads, George Michael, Wham, Blondie, Human League, The Police, Tears for Fears, Cindi Lauper, Talking Heads, Kate Bush, Talk Talk, Phil Collins, XTC, Fine Young Cannibals, Bow Wow Wow, Roxette, Simply Red, Annie Lennox, B B King, Billy Idol, Chris Izaak, The Cranberries, Grace Jones, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, RadioHead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bryan Adams, Stereophonics, Tom Robinson, The Undertones, Van Morrison, Joss Stone, Katie Melua, James Morrison, Jonny Lang, Pat Benatar, Susanne Vega…………….apologies to all those I’ve forgotten!

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      1. Thank you! Sadly never got to see Joy Division but after my 10 minutes were up I remembered a few more we’d seen. One of the many advantages of living in London for so many years.

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  15. Ronan Keaeting??? AND blaming yir partner for it??? Sorry. had a smile. You have an impressive set of notches there. I am totally impressed. Off your list seen Runrig and also one night Donnie Monroe on a Celtic festival here… Not a big event, in fact there were like ten people there And Seen Deacon Blue seen them a lot as we palled with their lead way back. Up here we never get the big names. We do now but not until recnetly cos the venue here the Caird Hall, never held enuff folks. We’re very into the live music scene here. Small scale Festivals and for years Dundee hosted the Jazz and blues festival. which was wonderful and we always got a crowd up for that. Now its the Almost blue fest but it is not running OBvi this year. Music is being hit hard by this We
    need to see where the pieces fall and what the mission creep is but I know your situ is very different that way and I hope you find some way round it espesh when your son had felt able to cope with a concert.

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  17. Great list! I’ve seen my share of shows – not that many but a lot. As I age I realize I don’t like them. The noise, the crowds – it’s all too much for me. But that is me. I hope you get to see some more bands, one day when son is ready!

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      1. Although I have seen a Pixies show, my favorite was when I saw Frank Black when he went solo at a smaller venue. We saw him outside after the show, by accident, which was very cool. And I had a thing for Brandi Carlile when she first came out and got to see her sing in an old renovated church – the sound was great. After the show she invited everyone downstairs to have some soda and hang out. I didn’t stay, which I kind of regret, as she is in the movies now and I’ll never get that shot again. For the big guys, I guess I have seen Paul McCartney a few times and he puts on a great show. Which was your favorite?

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  19. My husband and I were supposed to see The Specials next week. And The Pixies later in July. Both postponed to same dates next year. I was disappointed but thought oh well next year better than never. But hadn’t thought at all about all those factors you just mentioned! Spacing, masks, probably even longer queues for toilets! Shit. Really hope there’s a vaccine by then.
    Might have a go writing my list so far, if my aged brain lets me remember.
    The Beat, The Skatellites, Selector, Madness, Chic, Blondie, Elvis Costello, Toots & The Maytelles, The Orb, The Mad Professor, James Brown, Nouvelle Vague, David Byrne…um…Gloria Estefan and Bon Jovi. Plus I was forced to go to U2 once. Supported by Snow Patrol so at least not total hell.

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      1. Blondie was great. And the gig was 5 min walk from the house! Gotta love the Galway Arts Festival. Even when we can’t make the gigs at it, we can hear them if we open the bedroom window!

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  20. The loss of concerts is definitely a tough pill to swallow right now. I was supposed to see Nickelback for the 7th time this month. Besides them I have seen…

    Multiple times (can’t remember how many for each one):
    -Breaking Benjamin
    -Three Days Grace
    -Hinder
    -Daughtry

    Other:
    -Shania Twain
    -Chase Rice
    -Jason Aldean
    -Luke Bryan
    -Rascal Flatts
    -Lady A
    -Sara Evans
    -Brantley Gilbert
    -Jet Black Stare
    -Staind
    -Seether
    -Disturbed
    -Korn
    -Five Finger Death Punch
    -Shinedown
    -Sevendust
    -Jesse McCartney
    -Trapt
    -Charm City Devils
    -Drowning Pool
    -Flyleaf
    -The Pretty Reckless
    -Lauren Alaina
    -Brett Elridge

    I’m sure I’m forgetting some, particularly openers who I might not have been as familiar with prior to going to the concert!

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