Your last concert was to see who and when?

Tosca at the opera house in Parma, Italy. My first opera. Loved it.

I can’t answer for djones51 but I agree with tonykay above, I just have not been motivated to see many live rock shows. I find the prices almost insultingly high, more so than opera tickets in many cases. The parking, unruly crowds, deafening sound levels (I have hearing loss, in part, due to rock shows) have just made it not worth it to me.

Dylan is coming to town, thought I might bite on that one, but decent seats are $150 and up. No thanks.

Having said all that there is a young British band called The Struts that are a throwback to British glam rock. Maybe a little heavy at times but really mostly pop. They open frequently for the Foo Fighters. Even in stadiums. They have developed a reputation for putting on a good show, their freshman CD is very good and very catchy. So when I heard they were coming to Asheville to small local venue (1000 seat max) I bought tickets. $20 general admission. This will be the first rock show I’ve been to since Black Crows/Robert Plant in 1990.

It is on a Wednesday night. There may not be anyone there. I did not buy the $90 VIP pass to meet the band. I’ll hate myself if they get huge. As if. I’m worried my wife and I will be the oldest people there (55). I have no idea what to expect. I will be the one wearing ear plugs.

I recently saw the Rock Hill Symphony Orchestra play at the Rawlinson Road Middle School Auditorium.

As pedestrian as that sounds it was remarkable in a number of ways:

1) It was the inaugural concert of our new local symphony which was created when many smaller orchestras are going under. And this in a small but rapidly growing, former mill city in South Carolina. It was sold out as is the rest of the 3 concert season. Expenses have been met by ticket sales and local benefactors.

2) The newly built Rawlinson Road Middle School auditorium has amazing acoustics!

3) The performance was really quite good. Which is not surprising since regional musicians are looking for work. We drew from the Charlotte and Atlanta region. There were no try-outs. The conductor (from New York) was able to hand pick.

4) My sister-in-law is on the board and my wife is on the advisory committee. This was truly a grass roots effort.

5) It now has the mayor and other large benefactors realizing that their tenuous plans to build a performing arts center is now not only do-able, but critical.

Anyway, live, high quality classical performances by excellent musician in Rock Hill, SC. Who would have ever believed it?

I saw a televised Van Morrison concert where he did Astral Weeks at the Hollywood Bowl. It was kind of sad. As mcslipp mentioned, you could tell it was Van Morrison singing but otherwise his singing was just a big muddy run-together jumble of words. I'm a huge Morrison fan but from what I've read he's not a particularly nice person, has a reputation for being unnecessarily petulant and a bit arrogant (he is Van the Man after all). He also has a history of stage fright. Hard to say but from what I've seen on TV and heard from live footage in recent years, I would not pay to go see him.

I would contrast Van with Robert Plant, another one of my favorite singers. It has been a while since I saw Plant in concert but every time I have seen him you get the distinct impression that he is having the time of his life even in some podunk arena in South Carolina. Either he is having a great time and loves what he's doing OR he is a great actor. Either way, I respect that he makes the effort.

Has Van lost his voice? That is possible and it does happen. Linda Ronstadt does not perform any more for that reason. Robert Plant admitted in a recent interview that he no longer has the range he used to have and so does not perform some of the more iconic Zep songs.

Going to see The Struts tonight at a small venue in Asheville, NC. First rock concert in about 25 years. Will report back tomorrow.

Saw The Struts last night at a small 1000 person venue last night. They are a newish glam/pop band in the Queen mode. Incredible concert. Very tight playing, superb vocals. Totally engaged with the audience. Crowd in a frenzy all night. I was exhausted by the end....in a good way.

If you have not heard of this band before and if you are sad that rock is dying a long slow death, check this band out. They will give you hope. YouTube them. You'll  be glad you did.

Tickets were $20 which, in a day when you buy $200 tickets to see has-beens phone it in, is very refreshing.

Hard to tell where they're career will go. The opened for the Foo Fighters all last year and Dave Grohl said they were the best opening band they've ever had. Opened for the Stones in stadiums and a good many other big name bands.

tdimler, a friend of mine saw Dylan in the early 90s. Said the same thing.

Not the last concert I've seen, but I mentioned The Struts above. Had so much fun in October that I'm going to see them again in May in Charlotte which is close by, in a small venue (1200 people) and then drive down to Charleston, SC to see them again two days later in a 600 person venue. Can't wait.

My son and his new bride (as of about 4 hours ago) are going with us to the Charlotte show.

Two generations going to see a show by a band of guys in their 20's that were inspired by Queen albums owned by their parents. Rock and roll has taken some crazy turns these last 10 years or so.