Concert regrets, most disappointing band breakups, summer’s best shows: Readers react

Local Spins’ recent ‘Questions of the Week’ have generated some of the most robust and interesting responses in the history of our ‘Amplified’ newsletter. Check out reader comments and our latest ‘Question.’

 

When Local Spins first launched its weekly ‘Amplified’ newsletter in May 2020, we debuted our “Question of the Week” — music-related queries that immediately sparked attention and interest from our readers and diehard music devotees.

Our most recent questions, in particular, have struck a nerve with Local Spins followers, so we thought we’d recap their intriguing, fun and sometimes off-the-beaten-path responses in case you missed them.

Of course, to get first crack at these questions, readers should sign up for email updates online here: https://localspins.com/subscribe-local-spins-mailing-list/.

Not only will you never miss a Local Spins post, but you’ll receive our Thursday “Amplified” newsletter, filled with music news tidbits, concert announcements, a “Song of the Week” and more exclusive content that you’ll only find in this tantalizing musical missive.

Oh, and those signed up for emails who respond to our “Question of the Week” are placed in a drawing for concert tickets or Local Spins gift packs — just for being part of the Local Spins community.

As for this week’s Question of the Week:

What album do you NEVER get tired of hearing again and again? (It’s sort of a twist on the old ‘if you were marooned on an island’ quandary. Or if you still had a CD player and it was stuck repeating the same disc over and over, what album would you like that to be?)

Email your responses to info@localspins.com and include your name, and you’ll be placed in a special drawing for tickets or a gift pack.

Now, check out responses to our September and October questions below, and post your own answers in the “Comments” section below.

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WHAT BAND OR ARTIST NO LONGER ACTIVE DO YOU MOST REGRET HAVING NEVER SEEN LIVE?

THE READER RESPONSES:

Ryan K. Wilson – Beastie Boys

Don Clapham – I kept putting off seeing Tom Petty in concert, thinking I would see him next time he came to town. Then, sadly, he passed away in 2017. Lesson learned; don’t put off seeing an artist you really like because there is no guarantee they will always be around or able to still perform.

Steve Kelso – Four times I have held Floyd tickets in my hands. Four times I was denied. Appendix burst. Car accident. Work crisis. The death of my mother. I am Floyd cursed.

Jill Wylie Wenger – I’ve seen the Grateful Dead, but would have loved to see this show: Cornell 1977.

Carmen Sluiter – David Bowie and REM.

Ben Wade – Saw the Division Bell tour! My regret is passing on free tix to Kiss around 98 or so – not because of them, but the opener ended up being Alice In Chains in one of Layne Staleys final performances. Really wish I’d have caught Tom Petty as well.

Eric Stever – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. Man his loss was massive and tragic

Don Small – The original KISS tour with the spaceship Okay 2, LED ZEPPELIN.

Kim Clapham – David Bowie

Daniel P Hudelson – The Beatles

Greg Baxter – I wish I was aware of the Grateful Dead earlier than my first shows in 1992.

Rick Wilson – Pink Floyd.

Diane Yob – Stevie Ray

John Sinkevics – I have many concert regrets, but the one that immediately comes to mind is when I turned down a chance to see Pink Floyd’s “Animals” Tour in Cleveland in 1977. It means I never got to see the original lineup of Pink Floyd live and I hear that particular show was phenomenal. (Luckily, I’ve seen Roger Waters several times since, but still …)

Jack H. Travis – Oh man, that Cleveland show was actually my first Floyd bootleg! Wild.

Art Griffin – Eddie Money

Lee Chase – Hendrix in Detroit, May 1969.

Ryan Koster – American Hi-Fi. They played the venue I worked at so I was forced to be there.Not sure if they are still together though. Oh! I thought the question was worst show I’ve ever seen. My bad.

Brent Godfrey – In high school, I had friends ask me if I wanted to go with them to see “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway” Genesis tour. I really kick myself for not going to that show. I saw Genesis 3 times, later on, without Peter Gabriel.

Peter Stalzer – I had tickets to Led Zeppelin in Detroit right before the drummer John Bonham died in 1980. Nothing I did but sure regretted not seeing the show

Jerry Ford – My biggest regret was never seeing Tom Petty. How many times did he open his tours here? Every time I had something else going on. 

Sean E. Miller – Tom Petty and John Prine

Jeff Broddle – Prince, he was here in Grand Rapids, too.

Dave Adams – Queen

Melodee Van Bogelen Horsford – Yes, the original line-up of Pink Floyd. I’ve seen Pink Floyd without Roger, a few times, and saw Roger do “The Wall” and on the “Radio K.A.O.S.” tour, but never all of them at the same time… Them, and I never got to see Freddie…

Isaac Powrie – Levon Helm played Meijer Gardens, and I regret missing it.

Mark Svekric -Actually the original Floyd line-up had Syd Barrett and not David Gilmour. I never got to see them in any iteration. Like Peter Stalzer, I had planned to see Zeppelin in 1980 but then Bonzo died. I guess I have no regrets skipping this Jane’s Addiction tour.

Mike Gilbert – Ramones

Stephen Aldrich – Queen/Lizzy together @ Wings Stadium. Weather Report, with Jaco at Civic Theater (a later live album includes 2 cuts from that show). With access to time travel, would wanna see Chick Webb, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, The Duke, all in their 30’s-40’s prime.

Jeff Martin – Talking Heads, Hüsker Dü, The Clash, Art Ensemble of Chicago, the classic lineup.

Bruce Vanderkooi – Bowie!

Honest John Kowalko – Beatles

Rich Emerson – He’s not a “no longer active” artist, but I regret not seeing Billy Strings when he was just doing small gigs!!!! But CCR would be on the top of my list.

Mike Dodge – Led Zeppelin for sure. I had a ticket in hand for Pontiac when Bonzo died. Two others, Genesis in GR, and Yes in the round. I’ve seen both bands since but not in those heydays.

Doug Chesnut – It’s A Beautiful Day

Brenden Stark – This album is one of my favorite albums of all time. It’s incredible! Roger Waters did this entire album last time I saw him. Mind blown!

Alex Austin – I have 2. First was I missed seeing the Allman Brothers Band (they and Skynyrd pulled out of Allegan County Fair kinda last minute some hears, leaving .38 Special as the replacement) And then missing Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood together in Chicago somewhere around 2008 or 2009

James R. Murphy Jr. – XTC. They were touring with the Police and were coming to Detroit, but we were going back and forth between Detroit and GR for several shows over the preceding weekends, so I thought it might be too much. I had a Led Zeppelin ticket for the tour that wasn’t, but that was easier to shrug off. I regret not seeing Ray Charles.

Kevin Riley – Back in I think 1991 when Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers played the State Theater in Kalamazoo.

Michael Packer – Hands down – Either XTC or The MOVE. I just thought of 2 more – Stackridge & 10cc…. Oh, and… ( I could go on forever)

Mike Haken – Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin

Chris Carr – Stevie Ray Vaughan

Daniel W Dawe – J.Geils Band in Big Rapids
Mark Newman – If I could go back in time (and had unlimited funds), I would have probably not missed any show in the ’70s. My list would include David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and at least a hundred others (far too numerous to name them all). And that’s after seeing nearly 1,800 to date… (Hoping to cross off Johnny Marr and Richard Thompson from my list next month)

Kurt Ehinger – Saw Stevie at the Lowell Showboat opening for Gary Myric. Spend the Myric time on Stevies bus drinking Jack and talking guitars.

Matthew Fouts – Pink Floyd, for sure.

Holly Spencer – Pink Floyd for sure….but many others.

Roger Pam Kintner – Warren Haynes Band at Meijer Gardens this past summer

Jerry Ford – Starting with Kilnhouse, I was able to see five different versions of Fleetwood Mac. I never got to see the whole package of the most famous one. Last time I saw them it was minus Christine, I figured I’d have one more chance for her. Didn’t happen.

Tim Sundt – Warren Zevon

Andrew Ogrodzinski – Was supposed to meet John Lee Hooker in Ann Arbor with the president of the West Michigan Blues Society and Larry McCray, who was supposed to open. John Lee Booker got sick and the show was cancelled. He never made it back to Michigan or the Midwest after that. When Paul McCartnwy last played in GR, was online to get tickets. Got through to Ticketmaster quickly. $80 tickets were already being resold second hand for $400. Apparently the scalpers got first dibs on the presale. Was supposed to see Devin Townsend with his. 2019/2020 line-up but the Detroit show was the day after the Covid shutdown. Lots of bands I like but never got to see.
Josh Rose – I still watch Gabriel’s Secret World Tour from time to time and man, did I miss a show.

Michael A McLaughlin – Why didn’t I go see Muddy Waters backed by Johnny Winter and the rest of that stellar band opening for Eric Clapton? Major regret.

Mike Niemchick – Prince.

Brian Haik – My biggest regret was missing David Bowie. He was at The Palace of Auburn Hills in 2004. I really wish I saw Pink Floyd, but I was only 12 or so when they did their last tour.

Mike Metchikoff – Pink Floyd for sure. On the other end of the spectrum, I always wanted to see Dan Fogelberg in concert, but sadly never had the chance. Also wanted to desperately see the Allman Brothers Band or Gregg Allman as well.

Paul Jendrasiak – Chris Cornell

Alan Exoo – Malvina Reynolds in Chicago IL. I didn’t have enough money to pay the admission and buy enough gas to get back to GR.

Tony Geren – Panic! At the Disco when it was the OG lineup, UV Hippo

Paul Wyatt – Knopfler, Bowie and Zevon.

Cort Edward Musolf – Bob Seger

Mike Ensing – Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding. I’d have been way too young for either but they were so incredible on stage. I think Bruce Springsteen picked up on some of Otis’ stage moves.

Joe Kidd – Bob Marley

Mamie Graziano – Dougie McLean at Interlocken. My young son was sick, and I had to miss it. I’d have to fly to Scotland to see him.

Jeannine Lemmon – I had tix to see Carole King and James Taylor in Detroit on the Troubador tour…so sorry I didn’t go!

Steve Talaga – John Coltrane Quartet

Holly Sillman Martin – So many, but my beloved Allman Brothers (the original members). If only. I was just too young.

Rex Larsen – Hollywood Fats

Wendi Watts Lewis – Pink Floyd, Queen, Bowie, Genesis with Peter.

Mechelle Zarou – Jane’s Addiction at the first Lollapalooza.

Adam J. Smallman – Walk The Moon for sure. Their album TALKING IS HARD is some of my top summer music. Locally, I wish Four Finger Five was still around!

Nanci Appell – I wish I could have seen Pink Floyd!

Greg Poltrock – Stevie Ray Vaughan

Ken Bierschbach – 1977…I was on my way to buy Lynyrd Skynyrd tickets when the news of their plane crash broke. Also, planned to see Elvis at Wings Stadium that same year…and then he also passed.

Amy Mathews – Queen..Freddie Mercury

Jeff Manning – The Battersea Power Plant. No longer active, but beautifully redeveloped.

Janet Lee Zahn – Talking Heads, although David Byrne at Meijer Gardens was pretty amazing.

Brandino Proch – RUSH!

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WHAT BAND BREAKUP HAS DISAPPOINTED YOU THE MOST?

THE READER RESPONSES:

Lee Chase – Beatles. They had until ’80, but it never happened. Also Led Zeppelin but since Bonham was central to the band’s sound, I understand why it was over, for good, when he died.

Steve Sly – For older bands, I will go with Pink Floyd. It is really sad that Roger and David could never bury the hatchet. Another older band would be Jellyfish. Only 2 albums and both of them amazing. All of the solo members have done different projects which are good, but they have never reached the heights of the original band. For a newer band, I will go with Black Midi. A totally unique band out of England who played Bell’s Brewery last summer, they broke up earlier this year. Band member Geordie Greep will be back in Kalamazoo this winter with his new solo band, so we’ll see how it compares.

Frank Tobin – Beatles, Boss Mustangs

Steve Goeddeke – Soil and the Sun locally. Ghost Light. Furthur.

Eric Mj Ellis – Anathallo

Chad Phillips – In terms of Michigan bands, I’d say the Muteflutes. Everything they did was high quality.

Mary Ellen Murphy – Was Not Was.

Anna Kohls – REM, Zeppelin, Pink Floyd: the greats.

John Huffman – Cross Canadian Ragweed

Tommy Erickson – Soundgarden

Justin Stover – For me, it’s The Police. I remember the exact moment I first heard them. I was in my Aunt Stacy’s car on the way to visit my grandfather in the hospital, and she was rocking out to it in the car. Totally blown away. They were so musically rich. A lot of people blame the enormous respective egos of Copeland and Sting. But I think Copeland’s ability to get under Sting’s skin (and given how confident Sting is, this is impressive) makes the music better. Anyways, I’ve always been crushed that their musical discography is relatively small. I think they are one of the best that’s ever been. Also, while I don’t like Sting’s solo output nearly as much, he is an incredible lyricist when he doesn’t go so heavy on the new age bullshit.

Dave Mish – Certainly not Oasis. They’re an extremely overrated band.

Rockford Seth – I wish Auto would break up with Tune.

Denny Richards – When I start lamenting the end of a band, whether it be on that I love to listen to or one that I’m in, I go back to the words of the late great Del Paxton.

Gabrielle Tatiana Dunai – Sonic Youth

Vanessa Clark – The Go Rounds

Wendi Watts Lewis – The Broken Family Band and The Fratellis.

Josh Stacey – Nirvana

Jeff Oxford – Vox Viddora

Chad Michael Wedeven – Has to be Vox Vidorra. I thought they were gonna be huge.

Dave Adams – The Beatles early on. Led Zeppelin & Steely Dan in my teens/twenties. Journey though they never officially broke up, disappeared without warning. Queen in 1991

Drew Phillippy – Ultraviolet Hippopotamus

Jack Clark – REM

John Connors – It was Van Halen for me. With Dave leaving. Really, really dug that band, always dug Sammy as his own thing or as a Montrose thing. That was my first experience of seeing under the hood on a band to glaringly see all of the dysfunction that can lie under a very successful band. These days, Sammy is a wise and talented sage, and Dave??…..ugh….

James Rick Savino – Fountains of Wayne

Scott Langford – Great Big Sea. BoDeans. Talking Heads.

Carlton Macksam – It has to be said: August – the band. They were ready for prime time. Although, Olivia Vargas has put together a new iteration, and she can never be counted out.

James R. Murphy Jr. – The Beatles. After that, probably when Springsteen disbanded the E Street Band, which I thought was a bad move, and so did he, eventually. And the Talking Heads. Usually bands break up over power imbalances, money or ennui that somebody finally deals with.

Ben Darcie – Oh man, do I miss PHOX.

David Kirchgessner – The Weakerthans

Brian Spencer – Soil & The Sun

Devin Dely – Modern Baseball or Title Fight

Scott VanderSchel – Circa Zero. I thought is was an awesome move for Andy Summers.

Brandon Copeland – Hawk house.

Dona Marie Raymer – The Lazy Blue Tunas

Brian Kelly Rampenthal – Aerosmith back in the 80’s
Brian VanOchten – The Babys

Amy Wilson – Ghost Heart

David Specht – Minus the Bear

Donald Zomer – So Many Humans

Andrew Ogrodzinski – The break up of Frank Zappa’s final touring band in 1988 was a bummer. Two factors being I’ll will towards the bass player who was in charge of rehearsals and Frank Zappa’s declining health. There are many others.

Christine Kramer – Minus the Bear. Despite their heavy touring schedule I never saw them live.

Stephen Aldrich -There could be a long list, but The La’s come to mind first. Record the same album over and over and over and over, throw in some b-sides, and there you have it. Many believe this was all they ever intended to do, the final song on the album, Looking Glass, telegraphing that. But oh, for a little bit more!

Nicholas James Thomasma – Kent.nu

Bonnie Sue Norment-Anderson – The Sword

Jeff Martin – Sonic Youth, XTC (even tho i wasn’t into their final album), The Kinks (even tho they may be reforming), Rockpile (Dave Edmunds & Nick Lowe thru the 1980s would have been interesting), & Bass Desires (mid-1980s jazz quartet f. Bill Frisell and John Scofield on guitars).

Amber Buist – Nickel Creek

Jess William Mac AnTòisich – Byrds

Karri Absenger – Smashing Pumpkins

Rex Larsen – Texas Heat

Daniel Francis – Little Village, Alexis, exxxposure, My New Black Tooth, Pistolbrides/Mavericks & Monarchs

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What was the best concert you saw in the summer of 2024?

THE READER RESPONSES:

Trae Brockett – Spring Hoxey and Smiling Acres Music Festival Year 4 were incredible!

Carol Watkins – Nathan Walton and the Remedy at Meijer Gardens. It was awesome!

Mike Rios – My favorite show was Upheaval Festival 2024 at Belknap Park.

Steve Boersma – Local: Tower of Power @ FMG. Best? Revivalists at Red Rocks. Location helped that one a bit!

Sean E. Miller – Levitator in the Charlevoix Live on the Lake series with visuals by Matthew Stafford. Also, the Rebel Eves at Blissfest.

Nicole LaRae – Yussef Dayes at Bell’s Beer Garden.

Scott Pellegrom – Blissfest Music Organization

Isaac Powrie – Tie between Night 2 of Phish at Deer Creek and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard last night. Honorable mention to The Disco Biscuits.

Michael Feddema – Pajamas at Shagbark (Music & Arts Festival) was a dance party!

Naomi Howard – I’m going with Third Eye Blind at Pine Knob because that was like my 25-year reunion with them and it was slightly emotional. Lamb of God was also pretty good.

Randy Scott Marsh – Kurt Elling / Charlie Hunter’s music project “Super Blue” at The Alluvion.

Brian Haik – Warren Haynes at Meijer Gardens.

Jeff Neill – Scott Pellegrom at Pond Jam.

Jay Jylkka – Nor-East’r Music & Art Festival was pretty dang special.

Steve Damstra – Little Feat’s newer guitar player was nothing short of fabulous!

Daniel W Dawe -Seeing the Jayhawks at The Acorn (in Three Oaks) was something special.

Dan Lynn -The only, and therefore best music I saw this summer was JD Jones and Organtric at the The Book Nook & Java Shop.

Holly Sillman Martin – Black Pumas at Meijer Gardens.

Don Keegan – Foo Fighters in Denver (Empower Field).

Mike Dodge – Steve Hackett @ State Theater.

Steve Talaga – Robert Glasper at (GLC Live at) 20 Monroe.

Karin Avery – Myron Elkins

Michael Van Denend – Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews & Orleans Avenue at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Incredible stamina and artistry.

John Bruni – Kurt Vile @ Bell’s Brewery Beer Garden.

Justin Stover – Old 97s at that basement venue on Intersection that sounds like a youth group.

Andrew Ogrodzinski – Buddy Guy at State Theatre in what will probably be his last time playing in Michigan. History and legend. Amazing that at 87 he still has “it.” Playing and singing very much on point. A master class in showmanship.

David Ellyatt – The best show of the summer was actually inside. Stephen Wilson Jr.’s epic two-and-a-half set at the Intersection was phenomenal. It was one of those nights when the artist was just genuinely happy to be playing and sharing his songs and their stories.

Rene Nicholas – Greta Van Fleet at the Innings Festival, Tempe, AZ.

Jerry Kolb – Jason Isbell at White River in Indy.

John J R Robinson – Lots of fantastic shows to choose from. For me, it was Phish wsg Billy Strings.

Tom Ledermann – Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway at Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids. Oh, and Willi Carlisle and Anna Tivel at Lager House, Detroit. Oh, and Katie Pruitt at The Ark – Ann Arbor.

Cyndi Stebbins – Tie between The War & Treaty @ The Fair Ground Festival in Hastings & Nathan Walton and the Remedy @ Meijer Gardens.

Sally Kikkert – Jeremy Clyde and Albert Lee at “Space” in Evanston. Runner up; “Mulebone” at Lakeview summer concerts in the park.

Mark Newman – Deep Purple at Michigan Lottery Amphitheater in Sterling Heights; fourth time seeing the band and the best. Bands half their age could take lessons from their energetic performance. New guitarist Simon McBride seems to have reinvigorated mainstays Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Ian Paice, and Don Airey. Terrific show (and they were headlining over Yes).

Kyle Brown – That’s a tough one, I saw a lot of great performances this summer. But Graham Nash and his band at the Kalamazoo State Theatre blew me away.

Greg Baxter – Dead & Company at the Sphere, Las Vegas.

Corina Van Duinen – Leslie Odom Jr. & Molly were an amazing pair @ Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

Patty Williams – Sounds of Summer, Williamson Branch

Dan Hildebrandt – It’s a toss-up between Blues Traveler at Frederik Meijer Gardens and Flexadecibel at POND JAM 2024

Chris Carr – Tedeschi Trucks Band at Wings Stadium. Close second is Phish w/ Billy Strings

Carmen Sluiter – My Morning Jacket at FMG and Phish w/ Billy strings

Rob Warmels – Chicago and EWF at Pine Knob

John Zysk – John Waite, Styx and Foreigner. Four hours and fifteen minutes of rock and roll. Foreigner killed it

Rich Emerson – Beaver Island Music Festival

Martin E. Hannah – Tedeschi Trucks Band!

Andy Travis – Toss up between: 1) KURT ROSENWINKEL TRIO (Gretchen C. Valade Center for Jazz, Wayne State University) during the 2024 Detroit Jazz Festival (two nights ago). Jazz, and/or guitar playing, does not get better. Hands-down, Kurt displayed the most spectacular playing by a guitarist i have ever seen, not counting Russell Malone (R.I.P.). 2) ROBERT GLASPER BAND (20 Monroe GLC) in Grand Rapids MI last month. Improvised medley of unrelated songs with Robert blessing the crowd vocally with “It Is Well With My Soul” in the middle.
3) THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS (Hoxeyville, MI) live at Hoxey Spring ’24, Friday night. Andy Hall is a Dobro God, and their cover game is quite strong. Highlight: their blistering and grassy take on Bob Weir’s “Jack Straw.” 4) THE COWPOKES (East Nashville, TN) during one of the last Two Step Tuesdays at The Legion Post 82, Galatin TN. Yes, it’s when & where I met Shaboozey. The Cowpokes go hard!!!
5) Honorable Mention: “The Vibraphone Summit” which was a stellar rhythm section of internet legend Peter Martin (piano), young phenom Brandon Rose (bass), &master drummer Carl Allen, backing up the following 4 vibraphone luminaries: Joe Locke, Warren Wolf, Jason Marsalis, and Chien Chien Lu, culminating in a 4-way “Bag”s Groove”, a swinging and fun tribute to Detroit’s own vibraphone innovator Milt Jackson.

Erin Dougherty Kash – They were all great: – Phish with special guest Billy Strings at VanAndel (and Deer Creek); Blissfest; Cave Jam in TN; Daniel Donato and Moe @ Bell’s

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