Concerts/Plays/Shows I attended last year. I was going to put them in order of how much I liked them, but that is way too difficult so they’re in chronological order. The only one that I didn’t love was Melanie Martinez. And Bob Dylan (hate to say it, but the show was not great). Wardell went to most of these shows with me, but not all of them. If he wasn’t there, there is a star (*) by the name.
1. Jan 2016- Blackberry Bushes String Band at the tractor tavern (Joy Mills Band opener)- Honestly, I don’t remember a whole lot about this one (it was almost a year ago). I do remember enjoying both the main act as well as the opener. I also got some earrings at this show because the lead singer makes earrings with lasers.
2. Feb 2016- Melanie Martinez at the Showbox- My friends came up from Salem to go to this show. Unfortunately, the only reason I enjoyed this show was because my friends came up for it. I had heard the concept album and was excited to see what she did with it. She was dressed up, but was walking back and forth on the stage like a coked out lion in a cage (my friends wording, but perfect). The venue was also full of teenagers (I didn’t realize that she was big with the teens. Thank god for the bar area where they weren’t allowed).
3. Feb 2016- Eric Prydz at the Armory in San Francisco- I took Wardell to this show, really (for me), it was more about the trip to San Francisco. I’m not too into electronic music, and I was only going to the show because Wardell had been raving about him for years. This show was seriously one of the best shows I’ve ever been to! For me it was more about the lights/lasers/holograms than the music, but the music tied it all in. I’m so glad I went to this show and would love to see him again soon.
4. March- A night with Janis Joplin* at the 5th Avenue Theatre (play)- I bought tickets for this randomly on the way to my birthday dinner. I’ve always been a huge Janis Joplin fan, but was unsure what the play would be like. It was very well done and the woman who played Janis was spot on. I also liked that it was focused her life and music, not her death.
5. April- Newsies* at the Paramount Theatre (play)- LOVED IT! I had been so excited for this since I saw it was coming to Seattle. The music and the dancing was so fun and upbeat.
6. April- Jackie Greene* (Opener Suitcase Junket) at the tractor tavern- This is one of the few shows I went to alone. Wardell was doing homework and everyone else was busy or not interested. This was seriously one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. The opener sounded like an entire band, but it was just one guy with a suitcase full of instruments. I bought this CD and am still baffled that it’s just him. Jackie Greene got on and started with one of my favorite songs of his (I don’t live in a dream) and I was so into the music that I forgot I was there alone. I started talking with other people near me, and there were multiple people who followed him from city to city to watch his shows, and now I understand why. He is a great stage performer and can play a bunch of different instruments.
7. May- John Craigie at Columbia city theater- I’ve seen John a few times at multiple venues. He always puts on a great show and has so many stories to tell. (This was the first of his shows that I went to where he did not sing the Chuck Norris song.)
8. May- Billy Joel at safeco field- This show was so fun and it was cool to see a show on the baseball field. He sang and danced around, and mixed in other songs with his. My favorite was when he did River of Dreams, and mixed in a Jimmy Hendrix song (I forget which one it was and am super sad I didn’t get that on video. Purple Haze maybe. I was too busy enjoying the show!). Wardell said he only went because I wanted him to and by the end of the show, he was talking about what a great show it was.
9. June- Paint your wagon (play)- 5th Ave theatre- I went to this show actually expecting to not like it because it didn’t seem like my type of play. I only went because we got $5 tickets. I was shocked when I really got into the play and enjoyed it a lot more than expected.
10. June- Bob Dylan at chateau St. Michelle in Woodinville- I’m really sad to say that this show was not great. Bob Dylan had been on my list for such a long time, and I’m glad that I got to see him live, but the show itself wasn’t great. Most of the music was his new stuff, but it was impossible to understand him (I know he’s always been difficult to understand him, but this was bad). The only reason I recognized Tangled up in Blue was because I knew the lyrics. It did not sound like any version I had ever seen and I think he may just be getting up there in age and his performing days are almost over.
11. July- Avett brothers at the Showare center in Kent- This was the 3rd or 4th time I’d seen them. I was surprised at how empty the arena seemed. It was a good show, but was a less intimate show in an arena. My favorite show of theirs was at the Britt Festival in Jacksonville, OR.
12. September- Dolly Pardon* at the Showare center in Kent- This was at the same venue as the Avett Brothers, but it was FULL. I went because my friends really like her. Not that I didn’t like her, but I just did not expect to enjoy the show as much as I did. This woman is talented (and the sparkles! Sparkles everywhere!). She can play multiple instruments, tell stories, and preform. So glad I went to this show and I would definitely see her again if I get the chance.
13. Sept- St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the Paramount- I LOVED this show. Definitely one of the top. The lead singer can sing/dance and dress. He had an awesome plaid suit jacket on. The whole band was having so much fun and I can’t wait to see them again.
14. Sept – Sia at Key Arena- This show was great. Sia has such an amazing voice. It was not what I was used to because she was in the corner singing, and it was focused on the dancers. She seemed so shy, which you don’t see often with performers.
15. Nov- Nekromantix* at El Corazon- I had a lot of fun at this show. I was in my first mosh pit in years (but ended up with a head injury). I loved the vibe and had a lot of fun dancing. My friends left kind of early because they had to work the next day, but I stayed until it was over.
16. Nov- Agent Orange at the Funhouse- This was Wardell’s first punk show. It was in a small venue, so it was very crowded. There was a drunk guy who took a mic and got on stage and refused to leave (but also wasnt forced to. Wardell said he must have been bank rolling the tour). It was a fun experience and Wardell got to see what a punk show looks like.
17. Nov- Anthony Bourdain (show) at the paramount- This was basically stand up comedy for the first 30 minutes, then an audience Q and A. It was really interesting to hear some of his stories and this guy is hilarious. The show was over by 8:30.
18. Dec- Little mermaid* (play) at the 5th Ave theatre- I got a subscription to the 5th Avenue theatre and this was the first of those shows (so lots of plays next year!)- This show was so fun and I enjoyed the way they made it look like it was under water. They changed the story a bit from the movie, which was unexpected and I felt like a part of the play was missing because of this. But overall a lot of fun and great costumes, actors and music
I went to some other smaller shows as well as a book talk, but did not include those. Keep in mind this is all from my point of view. 2016 was full of great music and I will try to make 2017 full of even more!
