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JEFF
Hello. My name is Jeff and I am a Concertaholic.
The first vinyl record I held was a 45 of the Beatles “I’m down” on one side and “Help” on the other. I think it was my uncle Paul’s. My mom’s Marantz Turntable pumped out Fleetwood Mac, MeatLoaf, Boston, The Cars, Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, The Eagles, Roxy Music, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd and this stuff was played alot.
My first live concert was in 1983 at the CNE Bandshell, Toronto Ontario with my older brother Chris. It was Men At Work and INXS. I lived in Niagara Falls at the time so it was a roadtrip. I remember the crowd, the lights and seeing this music performed live that I had been listening to for months. It was amazing. Since that I show I have been to hundreds of concerts in North America and my passion for the live music experience has grown.
Over the last 25 years I have sat in the back row, many a front row, been backstage, worked as a roadie, worked selling merchandise, met bands, been on a video shoot, sat in on TV performances, grabbed autographs, setlists, took photos, videos and became friends with a producer, artists, a rock photographer, a merchandise vender and have seen some of the most well known Tours and Festivals in North America… and for the Tours I missed well I’ve been able to meet others along the way who were at those too… and we’ve shared stories about live music experiences.
In November 1998 I found someone on a internet newsgroup who was about to drive from Toronto to State College, PA to see The Tragically Hip in a Bar… which was unheard of here in Canada in 1998. So I met up with him and we drove 6 hours there and back for a 90 min. set. Todd recorded the show (audio), took photos and I wrote a review for one of the bands fan sites. Almost 10 years later we are great friends and have been to many concerts together.
This site started out as our Concert Journal.. detailing out Live Concert Experiences from years of shows and now it may head into a different direction with “Live Streaming” from around the world lets see. We are not professional writers or video guys…. we are just concertaholics and love rock and roll… do you?
Jeffro | thecompletist | theconcertaholic
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TODD
Hello. My name is Todd and I am a Concertaholic.
I thank my now deceased older brother Tim for turning me on to so much music. Tim had the Slade, Grand Funk Railroad and Eagles posters up on his wall. He loved southern rock, rock, Neil Young, The Stones ,The Who, Led Zep… Pink Floyd, Bruce, side projects of bands and artists, tons of bands …. just tons …I clearly recall him and his friends discussing (and singing) some of the “new” Stones album Sticky fingers when I was 10 or 11. Tim had great selection of 8 tracks and albums, which I often borrowed and he always bought me gifts of music for b days etc. even if they were albums he wanted to hear it was still cool. My first stereo was a Muntz 8 track car stereo hooked up through a toy train transformer with two Jensen car speakers. I guess I was 12. My first real rock show, Alice Coopers Welcome to My Nightmare….it was at the Niagara Falls Convention Center in Niagara Falls NY in early 1975 I was 13. Suzie Quatro opened up but when the decrepit weed covered bed came sliding out to centre stage under the lights and Alice pulled himself on his knees and sang “Welcome to My Nightmare….” I was on my way. 100’s and 100’s of shows later I still hit a lot of live shows. Big shows, regional bands all kinds. I have had some serious luck seeing great bands in small venues, collecting rock stuff and meeting rock legends.
I met Jeff (aka thecompletist) on a fan news group for a great Canadian band called The Tragically Hip. I asked if anyone wanted to do a road trip down to State College P.A. in 1998 from Toronto for a Hip show in a small club called Crowbar. Jeff said “for sure” and our friendship and journey began. Not only was our first show great with The Hip doing a 300 seat venue (in Toronto they often doing 20,000) but we got to see a then new Derek Trucks Band open. We have done many, many road trips and shows since.
If you love music and truly believe it comes alive when played LIVE this is the place for you. I hope to hear some of your stories and reviews. Like Jeff writes above… we are not pro’s just lovers of live music.
Todd