In my lifetime, I haven't really attended too many concerts despite the fact that I lived in the United States for 4 years. For the ones that I paid money for, I've been to Iron and Wine, Taking Back Sunday and most notably, Oasis. For the ones that came to campus, I've seen Sara Bareilles (who is brilliant in person), Ben Folds, Third Eye Blind and quite brilliantly, the Wu Tang Clan.
There are, of course, bands that I'd pay money to see and bands who I'd go to see if it were free. Similarly, there are gigs I wouldn't go see even if I was paid - Gym Class Heroes, Black Eyed Peas, Pink, Soulja Boy, Nickelback, Miley Cyrus, Simple Effing Plan (for the record, I hate Simple Plan most of all).
The bands who I'd pay to go see for free don't really matter - there are a whole host. You could get me to go see Sixpence None the Richer, the Biebs, Maroon 5, the Backstreet Boys, Good Charlotte, Snow Patrol (who are apparently coming to Malaysia pretty soon), Lifehouse, Bruno Mars. The list goes on. Neither do the bands/artists who I'd be willing to pay a little bit of money to see. Those don't matter too. What's interesting are those for whom I'd be willing to shell out a fair bit of money to see.
And so, this is the list. The Top 10 Gigs for which I would pay a minimum of $100 USD (entrance), along with caveats, if any for each gig. This is not really saying that these are my 10 favourite artists - they are not. These are just the gigs I want to attend whether it's for the music or for the quality of the show. Also, non-existing bands and/or bands whose gigs I've been to aren't included. Naturally, this is ranked.
T-10. Bob Dylan
Price I'd pay: $100
Songs I would Scream For: Like a Rolling Stone, Blowin' in the Wind, The Times They are a' Changing
Overall Song Familiarity: Very shallow
Caveats: Only if I get pretty good to really good seats. It'd be great to see a legend but I don't really know most of his songs and so, I'd be paying just to hear those 3 songs. Thus, the seats better be good.
T-10. Beyonce
Price I'd pay: $100
Songs I would Scream For: Single Ladies. Duh. Crazy in Love. Duh. Any Destiny's Child song she might bust out, particularly Jumpin' Jumpin'.
Overall Song Familiarity: Moderate
Caveats: I'm actually not that big a fan of Beyonce's. I like Destiny's Child better. But I think Beyonce would put on a great show, and sometimes, it's worth just shelling out money for a great show.
8. Lupe Fiasco
Price I'd pay: $120
Songs I would Scream For: The Show Goes On, Superstar
Overall Song Familiarity: Well, I bought the Lasers album but not the others so, relatively shallow.
Caveats: I really like Lupe Fiasco because he does this whole social issues discussion thing in his songs and on a bad day, "The Show Goes On" goes on loop for me. But I wouldn't pay too much because of a lack of song familiarity.
7. Britney Spears
6. Taylor Swift
Price I'd Pay: $150
Songs I would Scream For: I'm probably already going to get murdered for this one, so I don't think I should list these songs...
Overall Song Familiarity: ...and neither should I list this.
Caveats: I'd pay that much only for a pretty good to really good area. I may also get slapped a restraining order after the concert, so there's that to consider. Also, I think she'd put on a good show, if not necessarily a good concert.
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Price I'd Pay: $200 (We're getting into rarefied territory)
Songs I would Scream For: A shitload, in all fairness. But Can't Stop always gets my blood pumping. And Californication is probably my favourite RHCP song.
Overall Song Familiarity: Good working knowledge, with detailed lyrics for a fair bit of them.
Caveats: Not many, really. I'd pay $200 as long as I didn't get a crap seat with an obstructed view. The Peppers are one of the acts I'd really want to see, both from musical and entertainment perspectives.
4. Kanye West
Price I'd Pay: $250
Songs I would Scream For: All of the Lights, Stronger, Monster, Gold Digger
Overall Song Familiarity: Medium. I don't know too many of his songs, but the ones I know I can follow the rap bits fairly well.
Caveats: $250 is fine as long as the seat is okay. I think the show will be great. And there's a chance he might just lose it, which would make for a great story.
3. Jay Z
Price I'd Pay: $250, $350 in Madison Square Garden or Brooklyn
Songs I would Scream For: 99 Problems and Empire State of Mind especially if performed in New York City
Overall Song Familiarity: Not very deep, in all fairness.
Caveats: I've always wanted to see Jay-Z in New York City, where he's from. I'd pay a shitload of money for that. And I know the show will be good even if the music might not necessarily be so (he doesn't always sound great live).
2. Green Day
Price I'd Pay: $500
Songs I would Scream For: Plenty, from old to new. When I Come Around, Redundant, Deadbeat Holiday, effectively the entire Jesus of Suburbia story (particularly Homecoming's "The stems and seeds of the last of the dope").
Song Familiarity: Super duper familiar.
Caveats: None, really except an unobstructed view. I don't mind if it's far back. I just want to be in the show. And Billy Joe is great live.
1. Blink 182
Price I'd Pay: $2000 (you think I'm kidding)
Songs I would Scream For: I know every Blink 182 song. Every single one. If I were to choose, it'd be my favourites - Dammit, Untitled, Dick Lips, Pathetic, Adam's Song, All of This, After Midnight, The Rock Show, Down, I Miss You, the list goes on and on. Actually, eff that. I'd be screaming through each song.
Song Familiarity: I know every lyric to every Blink 182 song.
Caveats: None. If I had an obstructed view, I'd just bowl my way sideways till I get a good view. Eff this. I just need to be in the arena (If you couldn't already tell, Blink 182 is my favourite band). Look, if I had to pick seeing only Blink versus seeing all the other artists from 2-10, I'd still pick Blink.
There are, of course, bands that I'd pay money to see and bands who I'd go to see if it were free. Similarly, there are gigs I wouldn't go see even if I was paid - Gym Class Heroes, Black Eyed Peas, Pink, Soulja Boy, Nickelback, Miley Cyrus, Simple Effing Plan (for the record, I hate Simple Plan most of all).
The bands who I'd pay to go see for free don't really matter - there are a whole host. You could get me to go see Sixpence None the Richer, the Biebs, Maroon 5, the Backstreet Boys, Good Charlotte, Snow Patrol (who are apparently coming to Malaysia pretty soon), Lifehouse, Bruno Mars. The list goes on. Neither do the bands/artists who I'd be willing to pay a little bit of money to see. Those don't matter too. What's interesting are those for whom I'd be willing to shell out a fair bit of money to see.
And so, this is the list. The Top 10 Gigs for which I would pay a minimum of $100 USD (entrance), along with caveats, if any for each gig. This is not really saying that these are my 10 favourite artists - they are not. These are just the gigs I want to attend whether it's for the music or for the quality of the show. Also, non-existing bands and/or bands whose gigs I've been to aren't included. Naturally, this is ranked.
T-10. Bob Dylan
Price I'd pay: $100
Songs I would Scream For: Like a Rolling Stone, Blowin' in the Wind, The Times They are a' Changing
Overall Song Familiarity: Very shallow
Caveats: Only if I get pretty good to really good seats. It'd be great to see a legend but I don't really know most of his songs and so, I'd be paying just to hear those 3 songs. Thus, the seats better be good.
T-10. Beyonce
Price I'd pay: $100
Songs I would Scream For: Single Ladies. Duh. Crazy in Love. Duh. Any Destiny's Child song she might bust out, particularly Jumpin' Jumpin'.
Overall Song Familiarity: Moderate
Caveats: I'm actually not that big a fan of Beyonce's. I like Destiny's Child better. But I think Beyonce would put on a great show, and sometimes, it's worth just shelling out money for a great show.
8. Lupe Fiasco
Price I'd pay: $120
Songs I would Scream For: The Show Goes On, Superstar
Overall Song Familiarity: Well, I bought the Lasers album but not the others so, relatively shallow.
Caveats: I really like Lupe Fiasco because he does this whole social issues discussion thing in his songs and on a bad day, "The Show Goes On" goes on loop for me. But I wouldn't pay too much because of a lack of song familiarity.
7. Britney Spears
Price I'd Pay: $135
Songs I would Scream For: I really like Womanizer and 3. But Toxic's a solid shout too.
Overall Song Familiarity: Pretty familiar. I don't really know the lyrics but I'm familiar with most of her top hits.
Caveats: Again, I'd only pay that much for a good area. But, I know it'd be a good show, assuming she makes a comeback. The entertainment charts, intentional and unintentional, should be off the charts.
6. Taylor Swift
Price I'd Pay: $150
Songs I would Scream For: I'm probably already going to get murdered for this one, so I don't think I should list these songs...
Overall Song Familiarity: ...and neither should I list this.
Caveats: I'd pay that much only for a pretty good to really good area. I may also get slapped a restraining order after the concert, so there's that to consider. Also, I think she'd put on a good show, if not necessarily a good concert.
5. Red Hot Chili Peppers
Price I'd Pay: $200 (We're getting into rarefied territory)
Songs I would Scream For: A shitload, in all fairness. But Can't Stop always gets my blood pumping. And Californication is probably my favourite RHCP song.
Overall Song Familiarity: Good working knowledge, with detailed lyrics for a fair bit of them.
Caveats: Not many, really. I'd pay $200 as long as I didn't get a crap seat with an obstructed view. The Peppers are one of the acts I'd really want to see, both from musical and entertainment perspectives.
4. Kanye West
Price I'd Pay: $250
Songs I would Scream For: All of the Lights, Stronger, Monster, Gold Digger
Overall Song Familiarity: Medium. I don't know too many of his songs, but the ones I know I can follow the rap bits fairly well.
Caveats: $250 is fine as long as the seat is okay. I think the show will be great. And there's a chance he might just lose it, which would make for a great story.
3. Jay Z
Price I'd Pay: $250, $350 in Madison Square Garden or Brooklyn
Songs I would Scream For: 99 Problems and Empire State of Mind especially if performed in New York City
Overall Song Familiarity: Not very deep, in all fairness.
Caveats: I've always wanted to see Jay-Z in New York City, where he's from. I'd pay a shitload of money for that. And I know the show will be good even if the music might not necessarily be so (he doesn't always sound great live).
2. Green Day
Price I'd Pay: $500
Songs I would Scream For: Plenty, from old to new. When I Come Around, Redundant, Deadbeat Holiday, effectively the entire Jesus of Suburbia story (particularly Homecoming's "The stems and seeds of the last of the dope").
Song Familiarity: Super duper familiar.
Caveats: None, really except an unobstructed view. I don't mind if it's far back. I just want to be in the show. And Billy Joe is great live.
1. Blink 182
Price I'd Pay: $2000 (you think I'm kidding)
Songs I would Scream For: I know every Blink 182 song. Every single one. If I were to choose, it'd be my favourites - Dammit, Untitled, Dick Lips, Pathetic, Adam's Song, All of This, After Midnight, The Rock Show, Down, I Miss You, the list goes on and on. Actually, eff that. I'd be screaming through each song.
Song Familiarity: I know every lyric to every Blink 182 song.
Caveats: None. If I had an obstructed view, I'd just bowl my way sideways till I get a good view. Eff this. I just need to be in the arena (If you couldn't already tell, Blink 182 is my favourite band). Look, if I had to pick seeing only Blink versus seeing all the other artists from 2-10, I'd still pick Blink.
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