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Secret Shows You Have Gotten Into

Matts3221Matts3221 Posts: 658
in Other Music

So with the upcoming Apollo show , even though it is not a secret show , would be funny to list any secret or very inmate shows you have gotten into over the years.  

Blink 182 - Dollar Bill Tour - 2003 ,  Avalon In Boston ( 1400 capacity ) tickets of course were only a dollar. Was able to score two tickets , super fun show although they only played 13 songs.

Rancid - Secret Show - 1998 or 97? - Middle East Downstairs Cambridge MA ( 575 capacity ) - Show was The Bruisers second to last show with a special guest playing after them , was a fan of the Bruisers so did not want to miss , however around 5pm that day I think WBCN announced that Rancid was playing and the line just went down the street. Super fun show.

Bosstones - Lilly's - 2001 - Somerville MA ( 85 Capacity ) sponsored by WBCN , could not believe I got into this show. Half the band had to play off the stage because they could not all fit on it.

Run The Jewels - Secret Show - 2016 - Cambridge MA - The Sinclair. Not really familiar with a lot of their stuff however they were playing Boston Calling that year and did this show after the main set. Friend of mine was working for them at the time so was able to go.

I feel like there has to be more I am not thinking of right now , however would love to hear others that got to see a band they love in a small venue.


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Comments

  • dankinddankind Posts: 20,839
    Off the top of my head:

    • Pearl Jam at HOB Lake Buena Vista in 2003
    • Velvet Revolver at Avalon in Boston in 2004 just ahead of the Contraband release
    • Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Bowery Ballroom in 2006 just ahead of the Show Your Bones release

    YYY FTW!!!

    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,327
    St. Vincent at the Bellhouse 2009 
    The National at the Bellhouse 2010
    Kanye at Bowery Ballroom 2010
    TV on the Radio at Music Hall of Williamsburg 2011
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
    2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
  • Tim SimmonsTim Simmons Posts: 8,226
    Saw The National at the House of Vans in 2017. It was a mini show showcasing Sleep Well Beast. It was maybe 12 songs? They squeezed it in, in the middle of a Euro tour and they were invited to play the launch of the Obama Foundation. Smallest venue I had seen them since the Double Door in 2006.
  • jwhjr17jwhjr17 Posts: 2,022
    It's a secret
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  • Matts3221Matts3221 Posts: 658
    dankind said:
    Off the top of my head:

    • Pearl Jam at HOB Lake Buena Vista in 2003
    • Velvet Revolver at Avalon in Boston in 2004 just ahead of the Contraband release
    • Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Bowery Ballroom in 2006 just ahead of the Show Your Bones release

    YYY FTW!!!


    That Yeah Yeah Yeahs show must have been killer.
  • Matts3221Matts3221 Posts: 658

    Totally forgot and I don't know how.

    Slayer - House Of Vans Show - Cambridge MA Sinclair ( maybe 500 capacity ) , just insane although they did a whole week of shows there I wish I could have gotten into them all , Descendants played one night there as did The Replacements.

  • pjl44pjl44 Posts: 9,784
    Matts3221 said:

    Totally forgot and I don't know how.

    Slayer - House Of Vans Show - Cambridge MA Sinclair ( maybe 500 capacity ) , just insane although they did a whole week of shows there I wish I could have gotten into them all , Descendants played one night there as did The Replacements.

    Dinosaur Jr opened that Replacements show too. So bummed that I missed it
  • PoncierPoncier Posts: 17,084
    J. Geils Band at The Paradise in 1999, warm up show before their reunion tour. Worst kept secret in Boston as they were billed as "Juke Joint Jimmy and His House Party 5"
    This weekend we rock Portland
  • tempo_n_groovetempo_n_groove Posts: 40,491
    Ain't been lucky to see shit...

    Well maybe the PJ Colbert show?  Does that count?
  • dankinddankind Posts: 20,839
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Ain't been lucky to see shit...

    Well maybe the PJ Colbert show?  Does that count?
    I don't know, but that was a good time for sure.
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • erocshiftyerocshifty Posts: 1,170
    edited February 2020
    Foo Fighters JMU Convocation Center 4/20/2000 - Harrisonburg, VA

    A surprise show a couple of hours south from Dave Grohl's home in Springfield that year. Tickets were $20 at the local record shop - Town & Campus. Andrew WK opened and it was just him alone performing to a tape. A couple of us were pulled out after crowd surfing and were about to get tossed out. Dave came over to the side of the stage where were being held and threatened to leave if we weren't allowed to go back to our seats. :rock_on:
    Post edited by erocshifty on
    "It's best to live in grace before you're forced to." EV- 10/09/2014 
  • Matts3221Matts3221 Posts: 658
    tempo_n_groove said:
    Ain't been lucky to see shit...

    Well maybe the PJ Colbert show?  Does that count?

    Totally counts , that would be rad and that even if you only got one or two songs still much smaller than a typical PJ show.

    When I lived in Brooklyn I went to Carson Daily's late night show ( 2002ish ) because Jimmy Eat World were the musical guest. It was cool at the same time strange , I know they played the same song three times because after each one you there was something wrong with the way the vocals were coming across. The told everyone to act as if they were playing the song for the first time.

  • pledgeagrievancepledgeagrievance Posts: 2,861
    Not a secret show but some intimate shows: I saw Muse in 2001 at a bar in philly with about 50 people there.  the Strokes at the Stone Pony. Radiohead at Hammerstein ballroom, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at the Saint in Asbury Park with about 50 people there. Days of the New at the Saint with literally 20 ppl there. 

  • BleedCubbieBlueBleedCubbieBlue Posts: 9
    The first Them Crooked Vultures show in '09 at Metro in Chicago - not really a secret secret show, but nobody knew anything about them except it was a band with Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones. No music out prior to the show or even what the band's name was. That was pretty cool. Also saw them at a real secret show at the Roxy in LA in '09. 

    Can't think of any other secret type shows, but have been lucky enough to see Foo Fighters at lots on intimate shows - at Cubby Bear in Chicago, 9:30 Club in DC, Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and at the National in Richmond, VA. That last one was the crowd funded show.  
  • erocshiftyerocshifty Posts: 1,170
    BleedCubbieBlue said:
    The first Them Crooked Vultures show in '09 at Metro in Chicago - not really a secret secret show, but nobody knew anything about them except it was a band with Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones. No music out prior to the show or even what the band's name was. That was pretty cool. Also saw them at a real secret show at the Roxy in LA in '09. 

    Can't think of any other secret type shows, but have been lucky enough to see Foo Fighters at lots on intimate shows - at Cubby Bear in Chicago, 9:30 Club in DC, Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and at the National in Richmond, VA. That last one was the crowd funded show.  
    Cool deal! Nice first post.  I imagine TCV were incredible - I'm glad there's at least 1 album from them. Welcome to the board. :)
    "It's best to live in grace before you're forced to." EV- 10/09/2014 
  • BleedCubbieBlueBleedCubbieBlue Posts: 9
    erocshifty said:
    BleedCubbieBlue said:
    The first Them Crooked Vultures show in '09 at Metro in Chicago - not really a secret secret show, but nobody knew anything about them except it was a band with Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones. No music out prior to the show or even what the band's name was. That was pretty cool. Also saw them at a real secret show at the Roxy in LA in '09. 

    Can't think of any other secret type shows, but have been lucky enough to see Foo Fighters at lots on intimate shows - at Cubby Bear in Chicago, 9:30 Club in DC, Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and at the National in Richmond, VA. That last one was the crowd funded show.  
    Cool deal! Nice first post.  I imagine TCV were incredible - I'm glad there's at least 1 album from them. Welcome to the board. :)
    Thank you! What a nice welcome :) Long time listener, first time caller :D

    TCV was incredible. Crazy to be within 3-4 feet of JPJ while he's playing the bass. 
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,582
    I've seen a slew of Foo Fighters "secret" club shows in L.A.

    Also saw the RHCPs at a few clubs in L.A. when Dave Navarro first joined-up

    Living in L.A. has it ups & downs, but we do get our fair share of special shows!
  • kasedougkasedoug The Golden State Posts: 2,961
    Saw a few of the Foo Fighters' Wasting Light surprise club shows at the Dragonfly and the Troubadour in 2011. Announced day of, $20 cash at the door. Those shows were incredible and such a rush to get a wristband for. Also saw their Sonic Highways club show at the Roxy in 2014.

    Also went to the Them Crooked Vultures surprise show at the Roxy in 2009 mentioned above. Was going back and forth with somebody who was trying to scalp me a ticket for their release day show at the Wiltern when the Roxy show was announced. Roxy ended up being cheaper and I was right up front!

    Saw the Chili Peppers show at The Roxy for Fuse TV in 2011, which was one of their early shows with Josh Klinghoffer as the lead guitarist.

    Nine Inch Nails at the Troubadour on the release day for Hesitation Marks in 2013.

    Saw Arcade Fire at the Roxy the day after Coachella in 2014. They played a short covers set as Phi Slamma Jamma followed by a short AF set. 

    Queens of the Stone Age's surprise show at the Teragram Ballroom in 2015. That was one of my favorite shows ever.

    Also saw the first of Iggy Pop's Post Pop Depression shows, also at the Teragram in 2016.

    LA is definitely a great place to live when it comes to special/surprise/secret shows!!!
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 28,617
    Pearl Jam house of blues 2003
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • cp3iversoncp3iverson Posts: 8,702
    Red Hot Chili Peppers in a tiny club after John rejoined.  

    Few weeks before the Californication album came out.  I was a foot away In between Flea and Anthony 


  • F Me In The BrainF Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,397
    It is not a (tumor) secret
    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • ZodZod Posts: 10,660
    It wasn't a secret, but it was invite only by a radio station.

    Pearl Jam - Vancouver 2000 - Commodore Ballroom - 1100 capacity bar... pretty fucking amazing :)

    I saw Foo Fighters play the UBC Student Rec Centre which I think held about 1000 people.   It wasn't a secret.  They just weren't that popular yet.  I think it was the beginning of the color and the shape tour.

    Also saw some shows I'm embarassed about.  One of my best friends, was friends with a guy that was a drummer for nickelback.  When they were touring for their first indie album.  Before they went commercial.  I actually like that album (and have an autographed copy of Curb).   Saw them at super tiny place like opening up for the barstool prophets at the university of Victoria bar (vertigo)....

    Pearl Jam is easily the most exclusive and best I ever got into.  That was complete tenacity.   I was studying for finals and kept the radio on the whole time.   I couldn't even legit win tickets because I'd won a $1000 on this contest where if you heard a song in the morning, when they played it again later in the day you had to be caller 9.   I was so broker back then I was on that one.   Song of the day was Betterman... of course I was going to win.  Got caller 7 with my parents phone line and #9 with my own.  Anyways a few months later the PJ thing gets announced I can't win because I'd won something in the last 90 days (or whatever it was).   After weeks of trying I get through and put on hold.   I can hear they already have caller 9.  The question was.  What is Mike McCready's current side project.  Person got it completely wrong.  All of a suddent I hear my line go live.  It's the Rockfords!! It's the rockfords!!... then there like who is?  Start to say my name, then subbed it to my friends name.  Of which I still had a fake photo id from when I was a minor.   Then used the fake to enter the show, even though I was of legal drinking age... lol!!
  • rw160510rw160510 Posts: 983
    No secret shows but I have been lucky enough to get to see pearl jam at both the London Astoria (06) and Shepherd's Bush Empire (09), Nine inch nails at the Scala (13) and Deftones at the Electric Ballroom (06). They were all super small shows with ridiculously difficult tickets. I still don't know how I managed to get into them and am so glad that I did :rock_on:
  • HesCalledDyerHesCalledDyer Maryland Posts: 16,455
    How does one find out about a "secret" show, much less be allowed admission?
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  • dankinddankind Posts: 20,839
    HesCalledDyer said:
    How does one find out about a "secret" show, much less be allowed admission?

    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • brucejam28brucejam28 Posts: 55
    i was 15 minutes away from seeing paul mccartney at irving plaza in 2015. truly gutted
  • JOEJOEJOEJOEJOEJOE Posts: 10,582
    HesCalledDyer said:
    How does one find out about a "secret" show, much less be allowed admission?
    In some cases, they are announced at the last minute....in other cases, a band plays under an assumed name.  Some are open to the public, others are less accessible.
  • LoujoeLoujoe Posts: 9,821
    Black crowes at cbgb. They announced them as another name. Word got out. Drove in,lined up, one of the last people to get in. It was sooo loud if youwere stuck outside you prob could hear it better. The opening act blew out my eardrums, but felt honored to see them there. 

    Mike watt and foo fighters at tramps nyc...bought a ticket and went. Word wasn't out yet that ed was playing with them, and noone really heard of foos. Killer show. Was a two night run. I was lucky to go to first night because I heard rumors ticketed people got shut out night 2.

    Faith no more, soundgarden opened up for voi vod at city gardens in trenton nj. Easy to get tickets. A tiny dump club. CC climbed the beams on the cieling and kicked it in over my head. Rip. 

    Many great shows on a small scale. Those few stand out for now. 


    Thankful!!!
  • eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,172
    None.

    Not too many in the philly area. Tried for Foo Fighters MTV $2 Dollar Bill concert at the Electric Factory back in '02? Only way you could get tix was at the box office and me and my friend drove down in the morning and stood in line for hours. Line never moved and we didn't get tix.  I also remember a few years ago War on Drugs played a secret show in philly at Johnny Brenda's (very small venue). I didn't find out about it until it was too late and missed out on that one as well.
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  • erocshiftyerocshifty Posts: 1,170
    HesCalledDyer said:
    How does one find out about a "secret" show, much less be allowed admission?
    Some cool stories in this thread - really fun read! There was a flyer for Foo Fighters show on the door of the record store I frequented. I was also able to get my ticket there.  
    "It's best to live in grace before you're forced to." EV- 10/09/2014 
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