On the Rail!
acutejam
Posts: 1,433
What is it to experience a show up close and personal -- many of us have braved the logistics to get up close at our fav shows. It began as a rite of passage for me as a teenager -- getting out to the Cow Palace in SF at dawn and grabbing a spot in line, working that line all afternoon and surviving the crush when the line 'stands up' and begins to compact, then shooting inside and grabbing your spot on the rail for the evening -- ah, the legendary Fastway, Saxxon, Iron Maiden show in '83!
Now I'm content to just be in the building. I worked hard to get within about 15 people of the rail at PJ's Outside Lands appearance -- and that's about the closest I've ever seen 'em. In '95, I was maybe 20 back on the farside of the mosh pit at the Sacto show. About 15 rows back the Gibson shows, 20-25 people back for the 2006 SF shows. And nosebleed too many times to tell... I'll keep trying, but it's not as important to me any more. I think....
Part of me will always be hoping that I win the fan club lottery for Pearl Jam, but my days of waiting in line for GA rails is over.
But then Eddie comes around, Chris Cornell -- and at these shows I go rabid, pulling tickets left and right, fan club, tm and "other" sources to see how close I can get. A solo artist performing is something different -- Pearl Jam Jen spoiled me with an extra ticket at EV's 08 solo show in Berkeley, 2nd Row. Fighting the urge to wait outside the Filmore for Hansard now, know I can worm up pretty close. Third row for Gibbard's upcoming solo experiment...
It shouldn't be any different, watching a full band interact with the audience, with one another and rocking out or just a solo artist. But solo, there's no safety net, all eyes are on YOU. You can see the gears turning inside, the roll of the eyes on a bad note... You can hear the off mic comments. It's not that the same things aren't happening for a full band, but that you simply only have the one artist to watch.
I got to see Built to Spill back to back at the Filmore and Uptown theater this year, at the Filmore I was in the back third, rocking out totally enjoying the show. In napa, I was in the second row, and there I was all teenager again, just loving it -- hearing the guitars directly outta the amps, the cymbals crashing in my face, watching the guys work out the jams with a nod of the head, watching strings snap, elbowing people outta my way with a smile....
I was happy to be that close, esp for the sound, but had just as much fun in the back the night before, hassle free.
And while I've totally enjoyed a few EV shows from the back, something just snaps when his tours are announced -- I gotta be there, I gotta be up close, I want to be on the other side of the campfire listening to him, or sitting across the living room crashed on the couch.
FIVE WEEKS TO PHOENIX!!! I'l see you all "up close!"
Rails I've Ridden: Iron Maiden, Kiss, Metallica, Rush, Deep Purple, Psych Furs, Grateful Dead, Police, REM, Elton John
Now I'm content to just be in the building. I worked hard to get within about 15 people of the rail at PJ's Outside Lands appearance -- and that's about the closest I've ever seen 'em. In '95, I was maybe 20 back on the farside of the mosh pit at the Sacto show. About 15 rows back the Gibson shows, 20-25 people back for the 2006 SF shows. And nosebleed too many times to tell... I'll keep trying, but it's not as important to me any more. I think....
Part of me will always be hoping that I win the fan club lottery for Pearl Jam, but my days of waiting in line for GA rails is over.
But then Eddie comes around, Chris Cornell -- and at these shows I go rabid, pulling tickets left and right, fan club, tm and "other" sources to see how close I can get. A solo artist performing is something different -- Pearl Jam Jen spoiled me with an extra ticket at EV's 08 solo show in Berkeley, 2nd Row. Fighting the urge to wait outside the Filmore for Hansard now, know I can worm up pretty close. Third row for Gibbard's upcoming solo experiment...
It shouldn't be any different, watching a full band interact with the audience, with one another and rocking out or just a solo artist. But solo, there's no safety net, all eyes are on YOU. You can see the gears turning inside, the roll of the eyes on a bad note... You can hear the off mic comments. It's not that the same things aren't happening for a full band, but that you simply only have the one artist to watch.
I got to see Built to Spill back to back at the Filmore and Uptown theater this year, at the Filmore I was in the back third, rocking out totally enjoying the show. In napa, I was in the second row, and there I was all teenager again, just loving it -- hearing the guitars directly outta the amps, the cymbals crashing in my face, watching the guys work out the jams with a nod of the head, watching strings snap, elbowing people outta my way with a smile....
I was happy to be that close, esp for the sound, but had just as much fun in the back the night before, hassle free.
And while I've totally enjoyed a few EV shows from the back, something just snaps when his tours are announced -- I gotta be there, I gotta be up close, I want to be on the other side of the campfire listening to him, or sitting across the living room crashed on the couch.
FIVE WEEKS TO PHOENIX!!! I'l see you all "up close!"
Rails I've Ridden: Iron Maiden, Kiss, Metallica, Rush, Deep Purple, Psych Furs, Grateful Dead, Police, REM, Elton John
[sic] happens
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but at MIA in Philly it was surprisingly easy getting to the rail. So, why not go for it right?
It was a great time. Not "center" rail, but a bit to the left of Mike..... not too shabby
jo
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"How I choose to feel is how I am." ~ EV/MMc
"Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy, or they become legends." ~ One Stab ~
Was reading through and saw someone looking for EV tix with the caveat "as close as possible please..." and that just set my mind a-wanderin.... OF COURSE YOU WANNA BE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE! But other times, hey, got a big group of my friends here, give us some space so we can do our thang!
In '85, was on a tour of Europe, we pulled into Paris, place was plastered in Deep Purple posters -- playing that night! Group of us hopped in a cab, boogied over to the venue. Grabbed a beer -- my first concert beer -- and kinda hung out in the back watching. Then i noticed, my gawd, look how polite everyone is, how much SPACE everyone has, I bet I could just walk to the rail right now.
A bit later, Ritchie Blackmore was high-fivin' me in the middle of Space Truckin! I recall my 18-year-old attitude perfectly, "Who's gonna mess with a shaggy kid in a Ride the Lightning shirt!!!"
Rails I've Ridden:
Nine Inch Nails w Marilyn Manson & Jim Rose Circus
Winston Salem '94 -- probably the ugliest pit i was ever in. Pretty fucking painful.
Danzig w/ Marilyn Manson w/ Korn - 5/5/95
Painfully loud bass, and while I survived the rail okay, the hardcore industrial-goth chick I went with had 5 out of 12 earring studs in one ear ripped out by the end of the show.
Primus - Charlotte Hornets Training Center, Fort Mill, SC - 08/08/95
Marilyn Manson - Charlotte, Jeremiah's (small club) - 12/04/95
fucking insanely awesome show. Had to push through 2 packed rooms to get to the rail.
So awesome, and right before Manson went from PoAF amazing to Antichrist crapshit.
White Zombie - LJVM Coliseum, Winston-Salem, NC - 06/28/96
This one was pretty tame, actually.
Porno For Pyros - The Masquerade, Atlanta '96
hardly had to "ride" anything. Small club. PFP fans really not too "tough". But was front & center.
Martina Topley-Bird came out for guest vocals on some songs. That was really cool.
Flaming Lips - Amos' South End, Charlotte (2007?)
again. hardly had to "ride" anything. but did scrunch up to the front.
Never been on the rail for a GA PJ show ...
If I opened it now would you not understand?
Sheffield City Hall UK - 1972 / 1973 - on the rail for ..... everybody, including
Zeppelin, Deep Purple (on the fucking stage for two songs), Humble Pie, Mott The Hoople, Rory Gallagher, Faces.
Made the 2nd row at O2 (2009) and Berlin 2 (2012) for PJ.
Easiest rail - Springsteen Benidorm 2009
Most difficult - Springsteen Hyde Park 2012 (thirteen hours standing within 2 sq ft ) but so worth it.
'07 Madrid
'08 Virginia Beach / Washington DC
'09 Shepherds Bush / Berlin / Manchester / London
Perth / Sydney / Brisbane
'10 London / Berlin / Lisbon
'11 Rio de Janeiro / Buenos Aires / Lima
'12 Manchester I / Manchester II / Berlin I / Berlin II
'13 Baltimore / Charlottesville / Charlotte
'14 Perth / San Siro / Berlin / "Live at Leeds" / MK
'22 Berlin / London I / London Ii
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