:: more miles than money ::

[Rich Tarbell]

yesterday jerseymike & ekennedy drove just over 5 hours to get to virginia to see the hackensaw boys ... it got me to thinking.

besides the hold steady, what active band/musician would you most likely bust the budget for (tickets & hotel), make a dedicated travel effort to (money & time) and sacrifice to well-being for (no sleep, too much partying) to go see play live? how far would you take it?

[meoskop]

I considered flying to the UK for Bowie...

I have no boundaries. For me it's health & childcare. I've been everywhere, man. Right now? Jane's Addiction is nibbling at a reunion tour. I'd travel for that. Dinosaur Jr. Joe Jackson. Midlake could get me on the road for a night. My biggest active band right now is THS - I'll be doing a tour leg or two when I get kicked from the ward and the kids allow. No question. Every show we leave, Spouse and I are just ready to go to the next one. No one heavily active inspires that kind of passion right now. Lots of defunct dudes.

wait - I lied - Jack White.

[emily]

The Replacements.

I would do almost anything.

(a girl can dream)

[missalabamanobody]

I'm was about DBT in Asheville at the end of January, but now I thinking of using shows as incentive to complete some tasks I've been avoiding. So I might make those shows (2 night stand) or it might be another time. It's a really good carrot, though.

Not sure who else I'd travel for right now - depends on the location. I might go to a show I'm slightly less excited about if I also have a good reason to visit the city it's in.

[thechumpion]

Dec 7, 2008 22:13:38 GMT -5 meoskop said:

I have no boundaries. For me it's health & childcare. I've been everywhere, man. Right now? Jane's Addiction is nibbling at a reunion tour. I'd travel for that. Dinosaur Jr..

I met a dude who came from Israel, put the kids to bed, left the wife happy @ the bar, to go see Dino Jr. Mind you it was a festival that had closing My Bloody Valentine on the same stage, but still.
I've said it before and I'll say it again if rumors hold true, Jawbreaker reunion, anywhere and anytime. Same goes with Fugazi ten years from now.

[citrus]

I'm in the same boat as the Replacements/ Jawbreaker(or Jets to Brazil for that matter, anything) / Fugazi crowd and I'd like to add Husker Du, and Neutral Milk Hotel

[lilhan]

bowie.
honest to god, he would be worth it.

[shuffleitall]

Dec 7, 2008 22:35:41 GMT -5 emily said:

The Replacements.

I would do almost anything.

(a girl can dream)

This. (except that I'm a boy)

This summer I travelled with my girlfriend to another city (in the same country, but it took about 5-6 hours with the train) to see Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. We didn't have a room anywhere and it rained during the night (in the middle of the fucking summer) so we walked around between McDonalds and the bus station The we slept on the train home the morning after. We were pretty miserable during the night but it was sooo worth it, amazing concert - the best I've seen - and it was actually kinda fun But if I'd do it again I would get a room somewhere

[hoodrat]

THS is the only band that habitually makes me hit the road. I have travelled for World/Inferno and a few others, but that was always as much about the visiting of friends as the seeing of the band. I had tix to go see Springsteen this past summer in jersey, but I bailed at the last minute. A Replacements reunion would probably get me off my arse.

I have been fortunate, in my adult years, to live places where bands come. Usually, if I sit and wait, they'll come to me. Now, in my teen years, I had to sneak out of town without permission a few times to go to concerts that I should probably be embarrassed by now . . .

[mattjs]

THS has had me travelling more than any other band before.

The London Koko show Feb 2007 was a coach from Birmingham to London hit the pub, hit the show, hit the pub after the show get the 1.30am coach back to brum tucked up in bed at 5am! Made it seem like a real adventure, plus it was the first time I'd met any of the USers Howard, Ben, Keith, Caz and many more.

[Mahoney]

the phish reunion. i won't be travelling to the east coast, however, if they come withing 500 miles, i'm there.

[stephanie]

Like meoskop, I have no boundaries. A cool 20 grand in credit card debt across 6 Visa cards has gotten me this far from Milwaukee, just off the top of my head:
- drove to Detroit to see Insane Clown Posse (2x)
- drove to Los Angeles to see Cursive
- flew to Glasgow to see Bright Eyes
- flew to New York, Philadelphia, and DC (4 separate times to DC alone) to see The Dismemberment Plan
- flew to New York to see Firewater
- flew to Philadelphia to see Fountains of Wayne
- flew to San Antonio to see Firewater
- flew to Seattle, then drove to Anacortes and Vancouver to see TV on the Radio
- flew to Seattle to see Harvey Danger (3x)
- drove to Baltimore to see The Oranges Band
- flew to Birmingham (UK) to see Pop Will Eat Itself (train to Notts, then 2 nights in Brum, then 2 nights in London)
- drove to Toronto to see Twilight Singers
- drove to Newport, KY to see Wrens/Swearing at Motorists
- flew to Germany to go on tour with Wrens/Swearing at Motorists
- flew to San Francisco to see Engine 88 (red-eye flight MDW-OAK, 30-odd hours in the city, 30-minute set, one of the best shows I've ever seen)
- jumped through a massive number of uber-complicated (and uber-expensive) hoops to re-arrange my trip to New Zealand around a show by The National
- flew to Seattle to see Nine Inch Nails
- plus The Hold Steady in 15 states

And I've driven to Minneapolis, Madison, and Chicago more times than I could possibly ever count. The true test of devotion is whether or not I'll drive out of town to see someone play on a weeknight.

My main goals in life involve attending a Cracker/Camper Van Beethoven Campout and seeing Matt Mahaffey/sElf play at least once more before I shuffle off this mortal coil.

I'd fly anywhere and do absolutely anything to see an Afghan Whigs reunion. Every other band I've ever truly adored that I didn't get to see on their original run has already reunited. E88 was the last domino to fall. I'm a lucky bastard for being able to say that I've seen every band I really, really love except one (Counting Crows).

When it comes to artists who are still active/touring, I would spend the most money and go the most out of my way to see Cage and The Wrens. Anywhere and anything for them.

[Mahoney]

cracker? like the grundge alt cracker of 94? they're still around?

[stephanie]

Yes! They're not as good as they were in 1994, but they're still great.

Johnny Hickman ftw.

[212margarita]

i would drive or fly quite a distance to see Tom Waits.

mad props to stephanie for flying to Seattle to see Harvey Danger...i love them and think they are one of the most underrated bands ever

[mattjs]

Stephanie, I whole-heartedly admire your flagrant disregard for fiscal responsibility I just wish I had the guts and the credit rating to follow my gig-going dreams!

[ekennedy]

Obviously THS has sent me packing. Modest Mouse has done the same, but honestly the adventure itself is enough to get me moving.
I travel for the long car rides, the new cities, and exploring the various venues, as much as for the band itself. I love seeing little, grungy, sticky floor clubs and sprawling, romantic theaters. Outside amphitheaters, minor league baseball stadiums, riverside parks...
I've done Red Rocks, now I want to see The Gorge....

[sg207]

Cracker is still around, and pretty damn good. I saw them on tour about a year ago with Jason Isbell, and I was impressed, despite only being a casual fan of most of their music. I've since picked up another couple albusm from them.

And I'm with Stephanie on an Afghan Whigs reunion. I don't ever see it happening, but that would be fantastic.

There haven't been a whole lot of bands I've traveled too much to see in my life. DBT, THS, Jason Isbell, Metallica (once upon a time, not anymore), AC/DC. That's probably about it.

[ct]

Dec 8, 2008 11:05:34 GMT -5 @stephanie said:

Yes! They're not as good as they were in 1994, but they're still great.

Johnny Hickman ftw.

i saw Cracker with Jason Isbell last December. Johnny came out and played with Jason on a few of Jason's DBT songs. it was a great night.

i typically try to only hit shows within 4 - 5 hour driving distance....but being in St. Louis, i can hit quite a few relatively large cities in that distance. plus there are a lot of college towns in between. right now bands that i will travel for are DBT, THS, Clutch, Hank III, NIN, and whatever hits me at the time. if a major band was doing a reunion show, i would travel to see it.

as for breaking the budget......i was estimating how much i had spent on concerts and traveling/hotel. since i have seen somewhere between 1,500 - 2,000 shows.......i figure....i could probably wouldn't have a house payment if i had skipped them.....then again....it's only money......

[meoskop]

Dec 8, 2008 11:02:27 GMT -5 @stephanie said:

I'd fly anywhere and do absolutely anything to see an Afghan Whigs reunion. Every other band I've ever truly adored that I didn't get to see on their original run has already reunited. E88 was the last domino to fall. I'm a lucky bastard for being able to say that I've seen every band I really, really love except one (Counting Crows).

Until I saw Lanegan and Dulli in Chicago this year, the Afghan Whigs reunion was number two on my list. Now I'd still jump through hoops, but the edge is off. I would go anywhere and tie the kids to a post until I returned if the Ass Pony's reunited. If they played a double bill with the Afghan Whigs I might put the kids in foster care for the week. (kidding, I'd figure something out. Spouse might have to stay home.)

I'm also lucky to have seen just about everyone. Sometimes it's dumb luck - like most of Spacehog playing at 11 am at Lolla, sometimes it's methodical planning and the canceling of other trips or family obligations. Life is only so long and there is so much music to fit into it. After I saw the reunited Dino Jr I asked Spouse to check me for stigmata, because that was (as the Wonder Pets say) Serious.

[Rich Tarbell]

Dec 8, 2008 11:05:34 GMT -5 @stephanie said:

Yes! They're not as good as they were in 1994, but they're still great.

Johnny Hickman ftw.

yes they are still great ... "countrysides" is terribly underrated ... and "greenland" has about 4 songs that are brilliantly great but also 3 or 4 that get me diving for the "skip" button. currently working on a new album down the street in richmond.

i have seen variations of cracker & camper van beethoven more times than i can count, but i believe all times in virginia oddly enough. easy travel.

[meoskop]

Dec 8, 2008 15:55:53 GMT -5 Rich Tarbell said:

yes they are still great ...
i have seen variations of cracker & camper van beethoven more times than i can count, but i believe all times in virginia oddly enough. easy travel.

Merry Christmas Emily is one of the finest holiday songs ever.

[katieee]

The Mountain Goats. On this last tour they took priority over THS as far as traveling cause they overlapped. But yeah, they are the only band besides THS that I have traveled for. I'm starting to realize how great (and terrifying) the chinatown bus to DC is.

[HollyLua]

Dec 8, 2008 8:08:56 GMT -5 shuffleitall said:

Dec 7, 2008 22:35:41 GMT -5 emily said:

The Replacements.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

worth.it

best show i've seen that isn't ths

[hard corey]

Dec 8, 2008 1:35:44 GMT -5 citrus said:

I'm in the same boat as the Replacements/ Jawbreaker(or Jets to Brazil for that matter, anything) / Fugazi crowd and I'd like to add Husker Du, and Neutral Milk Hotel

blake has been playing house parties in brooklyn. maybe you should scrap up some airmiles or something.