Today is
a very special day in my concert-viewing history as I’ve seen two different
shows on this date six years apart. In
2009, I went with two people from the Church I was going to at the time to the
Tacoma Dome to see the Miley Cyrus concert.
There was quite a lot of traffic on the way down, as this was her
heyday, and we stopped a few times for sodas.
We also listened to Carrie Underwood’s debut album “Some Hearts” on the
way down, which made me a Carrie Underwood fan.
The show
started with opening act Metro Station, a band founded by Miley’s older
half-brother Tracer and Mitchel Musso’s older brother Mason Musso. While they have a very hard rock/heavy metal
look to them, especially with Trace’s arms and torso covered in tattoos, they
play synth-pop music and were responsible for some songs at the time that were
big dance hits, “Seventeen Forever” and “Shake It.” I also heard their song “Japanese Girl” at
that show for the first time, it would later officially debut on an EP of
remixes of their song “Kelsey” the next month.
They also stated during the show before playing “Kelsey” that while its
title is “Kelsey,” it can be about anyone you love deeply.
Miley’s
show was a surprise for me, namely because I thought artists only performed
their latest songs and ignored previous releases on tours before this
show. When the second song she sang was
“Start All Over” from her debut album, that thought ended quickly, since she
had already performed it live in the area and was now doing so again. She strutted confidently around the stage and
often did a thrashing, head-banging maneuver which was impressive with the
waterfall of burnt auburn hair she had at the time. Her performances of “Kicking And Screaming,”
“Let’s Get Crazy,” “Spotlight,” “GNO,” the Joan Jett classic “I Love Rock and
Roll” (which got me into the 1980s icon), “Wake Up America” and “See You Again”
were a pure rush of energy and excitement, with her belting out lyrics with
ferocity. There was also the tender side
with “These Four Walls,” “When I Look At You” and perhaps her biggest hit that
year, “The Climb.” These showcased a
soft heart behind the dominating powerhouse, showing that she really wanted
people to be able to positively rise from the aches and pains of their lives to
a happier existence of mutual compassion.
When the entire Dome sang along to “The Climb,” I was moved. I was moved again shortly after as I left
after the show ended, seeing an elementary school girl on crutches leaving her
seat with her Dad. And to me, maybe that’s
the message of these shows, just have one night when you can forget your pains
and sadness, leave them at the door, and have fun with someone whose music you
love.
Six
years later, in 2015, there was a concert at the White River Amphitheater in Auburn. The headliner was 80s Hard Rock/Hair Metal
band Def Leppard, and opening for them were Styx and the very first artist on
the stage would be Tesla. Tesla is an
80s Hair Band from Sacramento who has performed some amazing original songs and
popularized some older ones. Their
biggest hit is probably “Signs,” a cover of a song by the Five Man Electric
Band. The main hook is the chorus,
“Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs/blocking out the scenery, breakin’ my
mind/do this, don’t do that/can’t you read the sign?” Their most famous original song is probably
“Love Song” all about how “Love Will Find A Way” and in live performances, ends
with lead singer Jeff Keith repeating “I Know,” and when the audience echoes
him and says “I Know,” he invariably says “I knew you knew.” If you’re a fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd, UFO and
Led Zeppelin, you’ll probably have a good time at a Tesla show.
Styx was
next, performing hits like “Too Much Time On My Hands,” “Fooling Yourself (The
Angry Young Man)”, “Miss America” and “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights).” Lawrence Gowan is the new
keyboardist/sometimes lead singer as Styx is currently run by Tommy Shaw, who
disliked Kilroy was Here, which was Dennis DeYoung’s project for the most part. Tommy Shaw was also amazing that night,
playing guitar in an incredible fashion and singing beautifully. It also seems Shaw played most of the
solos. Todd Sucherman, the current
drummer, was also great that night, making great drum fills and keeping a good,
steady rhythm. I would definitely be
interested in seeing Styx again.
Def
Leppard headlined the night, playing mostly hits off the Hysteria album, such
as “Pour Some Sugar On Me,” “Armageddon It,” “Love Bites” and the title track. “Let’s Get Rocked,” “Bringin’ On The
Heartbreak/Switch 625” and “Foolin’” were also part of the main set, the band
performing each song excellently. They
can still maintain their harmonies after 40 years being a band, Vivian Campbell
and Phil Collen are both excellent guitar players, Rick Savage is great on bass
and Rick Allen is one of the most talented drummers you will ever see,
especially because between recording the Pyromania album and the Hysteria
album, he lost his left arm in a car accident.
As such, he plays the drums using his feet, his right arm and
synthesizers, pressing a pedal with his left foot for a snare drum sound. Joe Elliot also often seems like one of the
friendliest lead singers a band has ever had, introducing the other band
members like he’s at a bar and just happens to meet his old friends. I am looking forward to the Def Leppard
concert I have a ticket to, which will feature them, Poison, Joan Jett and the
Blackhearts and Motley Crue at T-Mobile Park.
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