There has been many times this year and in the past when I have put money, uni and other things before going to concerts and in the end ultimately regret it.
Michael Franti and Ben Folds both played in Brisbane last month, both two shows that I had ummed and aahed over about because of the price but also two artists that I enjoy dearly. When I decided I wanted to go it was too late and they were sold out. Earlier this year I regret not going to have seen Beth Orton, Martha Wainwright, Tristan Prettyman, The Posies, Misfits, Bouncing Souls, Sigur Ros, Xavier Rudd, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, Gerling, Split Enz, Claire Bowditch, Jason Mraz, Bic Runga and Dianna Ross (but her show has been cancelled so I haven’t really missed out) and so many others.
In two weeks time Chris Isaak is playing at a local vineyard with Alex Lloyd and Ross Wilson, I ummed and ahhed and now it is sold out π Now somebody’s (really) crying π
My mantra now is that I will go with my gut feeling when I first hear about the concert, price will not be the determining factor; the factor will be what sort of rotation do I have them on in winamp or have I heard good things about their shows.
I don’t want to look back at my life in five, ten years time and regret not going to those concerts as I continue to enjoy their music especially when I hold such special memories of concerts from the Mountain Goats, The Whitlams and others.
The other day I saw an ad in the paper saying that tickets for Madeleine Peyroux go on sale this coming Friday (well that was yesterday) and this morning when I was cycling to work I saw a billboard advertising the concert so one of the first things I did when I came home was to buy my ticket π I am five rows from the stage and pretty much smack in the middle π I stumbled across Madeleine from something I had read about Yann Tiersen (the artist who did the AmΓΒ©lie soundtrack) and was just enchanted by her voice, listening to the magic it weaves in the air, just magical stuff, I can’t wait!
not to mention Bernard….sniff…sob…
I got tickets for Benard, 13 days and counting π
i can totally relate. i’ve been trying this year to just go with it. not just with concerts but with everything. i turn down a lot of fun opportunities because i don’t always have the cash, but i think sometimes it would be better to go a bit strapped for cash and actually enjoy something instead of regretting not going.