The most memorable concerts aren't the arena-sized gigs. The ones that stick out most are the tiny, sweaty shows at long-gone places like the Speedway Cafe or The Painted Word, or more recently at Kilby Court or The Urban Lounge. And, if pressed for my fondest concert memory in Salt Lake City, it has to be fIREHOSE at the Speedway Cafe, circa 1989.
fIREHOSE was my favorite band at the time, and I still worship at the altar of Mike Watt, a true punk legend and arguably the nicest guy in the music biz. The show stands out for a few reasons. The place was packed, as the band's shows always were in Salt Lake. I spent the entire gig in the front row, holding on for dear life to one of the stage monitors at Watt's feet while a few hundred people pushed forward as Watt, drummer George Hurley and guitarist Ed from Ohio did their thing. At one point, an air duct over the stage blew open, dropping a metal screen to the floor and sending a huge gust of wind onto Watt, who didn't miss a note. I've talked to a lot of people through the years who were at the show and they all seem to remember that exact moment as well.
Almost 20 years later, fIREHOSE is long gone and Watt is playing with The Stooges between solo albums. But hanging on the wall at my oh-so-grownup house, I still have my ticket stub from the show, one of Watt's bass strings busted during the course of the gig and that night's set list, autographed by the band backstage for a 17-year-old fanboy.
Dan Nailen writes for The Salt Lake Tribune and In Utah This Week. You can read his blog at http://blogs.sltrib.com/nightlife/.
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