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I try to avoid large venues and big-name acts, as mentioned by prior writers. So to keep it brief and obvious:
See:
- Springsteen: any time, any place, any band. Preferably E-Street, but I caught the Seeger Sessions tour and my mind was still blown.
- Elvis Costello. Period. I shelled out more and drove further for his recent Philly gig with The Imposters than I have for any other show, so I was well prepared to encounted a bloated, disaffected throwback. I couldn't have been more wrong, nor more pleased. He recycled a lot of old material (promoting another Greatest Hits record will do that to you, I suppose), but nothing sounded stale nor needlessly rearranged. He shook the windows of The Electric Factory, and still managed to play soft and intimate as necessary.
AVOID:
- Sting. Good god. I've seen him twice, he was bearable in Paris on the Mercury Rising Tour, but his Brand New Day claptrap in the states brought a tear of regret and loss to my little eye. Band too slick, renditions too rote, smirk too smug. No wonder the Police reunion's a wash.
