Every band (or performer) I’ve ever seen live in concert…

At least as far as I can remember.

I’m avoiding reading a lousy script right now while trying to digest dinner so I can workout tonight and I thought it would be an interesting experiment to make a list of every musical act I’ve ever seen live in concert. I’ve been meaning to do this one for a while now simply to put into context how many concerts I really do go to. What makes this list especially impressive is I only went to a handful of concerts before I moved to L.A. in 2003 so the vast majority of this list represents the past four years or so.

Also, it NEEDS to be stated that a lot of these more, let’s call them questionable, acts were usually part of an all-day festival show along the lines of the River Rave in the late 90’s (hello Soul Asylum) or Coachella in more recent years. Just because I stood around listening to a band for a few songs doesn’t mean I was Superfan 99 or anything. I tried to limit this to bands I actually made a concerted effort to listen to (minimum 3-songs) so something along the lines of me standing outside the tent while James Blount caterwauls “Beautiful” doesn’t count.

Also, memory’s a bitch and I know I’m skipping a few big ones (to say nothing of dozens of forgettable opening acts) so this will probably be updated a couple three times or so.

Sure, you’ll mock my list. Then you’ll wonder why I wasted my time making it. Then you’ll go make your own list because it’s fucking awesome to lay-out a musical lifetime in front of you like this.

(updated 9/15/09)

Nine Inch Nails x7
The Crystal Method x4 (three times at DJ sets, once performing their own material)
Ladytron x 4
Alice in Chains x3 (all times post Layne’s passing)
Morphine x3 (R.I.P. Sandman)
30 Seconds to Mars x2 (although closer to 1.5)
Aerosmith x2
Arcade Fire x2 (although closer to 1.5)
C.S.S. x2
Daft Punk x2
The Dandy Warhols x2
Explosions in the Sky x2
M.I.A. x2
Paul Oakenfold x2 (although closer to 1.5)
The Red Hot Chili Peppers x2 (significantly less engaged the second time)
Tool x2
Wolfmother x2
!!!
120 Days
Air Supply (don't judge: it was for a woman)
Aphex Twin
Arctic Monkeys
Bjork
Black-Eyed Peas (tellingly, not with Fergie)
David Bowie
The Bravery
The Breeders
Manu Chao
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Common
Creed
Datarock
The Dave Matthews Band (still the most surprising name on this list IMHO)
Death Cab for Cutie (fuck this emo awfulness)
Depeche Mode
The Faint
Fatboy Slim
Franz Ferdinand
The Fray
Garbage
Ghostface and Raekwon
Girl Talk
God Lives Underwater
Gogol Bordello
Goldfrapp
Guns & Roses (although it was after everyone but Axel left the band)
Greenday
Health
Hotchip
Incubus
Interpool
Io Echo
Jackyl
Jane's Addiction
Jem
Linkin Park
Madonna
Marilyn Manson
Massive Attack
Matisyahu
Metallica (arguably the best concert listed, although there’s millions of intangibles involved)
Method Man & Redman
MGMT
Modwheelmood
Mos Def
Muse
My Morning Jacket
Nas
New Order
Peaches
Placebo
The Offspring
Papa Roach
Pendulum
Liz Phair
The Pharcyde
Pharoahe Monch
Jackyl
Jimmy Plant & Robert Page
Portishead
Prick
Prince (the second best live performance I've ever seen and the best in Coachella's history)
Queens of the Stone Age
Rage Against the Machine
The Rentals
Rilo Kiley
The Roots
Satellite Party
Silverchair
Silversun Pickup
Slayer
Sloan
Soul Asylum
Bruce Springsteen
Street Sweeper Social Club
Tegan & Sara
Tenacious D
Tiësto
A Tribe Called Quest
Underworld
The Verve Pipe
Roger Waters
Kanye West
The Who