I could write for hours describing all the cool shows I've caught since my first concert in 1990 when I witnessed Billy Idol just to catch Faith No More as the opener. Utah gets some great shows, but we also get skipped over by so many bands. Whether they're afraid of the crazy liquor laws, or the fact that maybe only a dozen people might show up to see them, we still get some pretty great shows. Sometimes we get lucky and see stuff that nobody else ever will.
My favorite place to catch shows back in the day was the old DV8 before they ripped out the stadium seating upstairs. I had friends that did the sound there and every once in a while they'd record the shows for me. This wasn't some sweet mini-disc or DAT recording, it was on cassette tape. For you kids out there, a cassette tape was a little plastic box that contained 2 reels, some tape, and a magic bird that would etch the music onto the tape. In '99 I heard about Elliott Smith on the Internet. I'd never heard him before, I was just told it was a show I shouldn't miss. None of my friends wanted to see a band they'd never listened to before, so I asked a girl I had a crush on if she'd like to go.
April 13, 1999 - we showed up at DV8 as the opening band was finishing. I gave a new blank tape to my friend at the sound board and we headed up to the bar. Elliott came out with his band and started playing. We really weren't impressed. The place wasn't too packed. It was a pretty intimate show so we found a good view of Elliott at the bar, started taking shots of tequila, and stopped paying attention to the show. After 40 minutes the band left the stage, the curtains were closed and a bar stool was placed on center stage. Elliott walked out with an electric guitar, sat down, and the audience almost went silent. By almost I mean everyone in the entire crowd except for us. We were tequila-giggling and then realized the crowd was giving us the stink-eye, so we promptly shut up and turned to watch the show.
"What do you all want to hear?" he asked the crowd.
After a few people yelled out songs he started playing Say Yes. My friend and I turned and looked at each other, just amazed by the song we were hearing. All we could say was, "Wow," and giggle some more as we moved a little bit closer. After the song, more songs were hollered out. Elliott again obliged and played Easy Way Out. Now we were yelling, "WOW!" and inched closer and closer to each other. The songs he sang were the most beautiful things we'd ever heard. The White Lady Loves you More was next, then he finished up with Rose Parade. There just aren't words or emotions that can describe how amazing he was and how amazed we were. We just kept laughing and giggling and talking about how lame our friends were to have missed this night and just how lucky we were for being there on that night. By the end of the show my friend and I were leaning on each other, spun from basking in his performance (or maybe it was the tequila), but one thing was certain, Elliott Smith's magic really touched us that night.
The recording was great for being on a cassette and I later had it converted to CD. The girl and I ended up going our separate ways but a year later we got together and saw him again in Colorado. It just wasn't the same, there was no magic. The crowd was so huge, it just wasn't DV8 and it wasn't Utah. After that I really couldn't listen to Elliott anymore. A few years later he passed away and I guess the last show he played was at Mayfest here in town, how weird is that? Ever since that show when I'd walk into DV8 the first thing I'd think of was standing by that bar all night and the magic. It really hurt when they remodeled the place. Every show I see in Utah that isn't at a big venue or that isn't totally packed I remember how great it is to be in this state. I guess I'll go grab a SLUG and see what bands are coming to town. Since they're stopping by Salt Lake they must be cool.
Circus Brown
Not a Side Show
10pm - 1am
KRCL 90.9 FM krcl.org
Remember to submit your experiences for a chance to win free tickets! Visit 24tix.com/experience for more information.
Comments