October 02nd, 2015

Throughout your life there are amazing moments you experience and remember forever. Today we’re going to talk about some cool random moments I’ve had at some shows. Hope you enjoy.

Tool with Tom Morello at Roo
Towards the end of their Friday Night headlining set, while the band is hammering through their best song “Lateralus,” a guest emerges onto stage. The guest? None other than Rage guitarist Tom Morello. his contribution in the form of a nearly 5 minute battle with Adam Jones and Danny Carey was epic to say the least, and has since become one the single coolest moments in the band's history.

Spending the day with Nothingface
I’ve briefly mentioned them before, but for awhile there these guys were one of my favorite all time bands. So, one faithful day my friend and I are waiting outside of a theatre in New Orleans waiting to see them open for Disturbed, Mudvayne and Spineshank. Anyway, lead singer Matt Holt emerges from the venue, and the two of us rightly flip the fuck out. He was cordial, welcoming us to his band's van for some hangouts as we talked about music. I even got a coke from the bus, with the intention of saving it as a souvenir. But my grandmother had other plans. She found the coke on my dresser the next morning and promptly drank it.

Radiohead Lollapalooza
Without a doubt one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. The Chicago skyline over the 100k plus crowd, and the band absolutely killing. Many sections of the set were brilliant, but maybe the best was “Fake Plastic Trees.” During the slower part of the song, unbeknownst to the crowd, fireworks start going off. We later find out that it’s from the Cubs game nearby. Either way, as the song builds up to the final explosion, the sky is enlightened and the entire crowd is singing along to one of their best songs.

Cannibal Corpse arm story
Years ago some of my best friends took a trip to see the opening show of the bands tour. Many interesting things happened that day, but since they're mostly illegal I won’t go into details. Anyway, before Corpse goes on to play a nearly 3 hour, 40 song set, something happens in the pit. Three songs in a man falls out of the pit, his arm pulled and dangling from the socket. The thing is, he doesn’t care at all, and is forced to leave the show by paramedics. The memorable quote from unnamed Mexican fella is “My arm is broken; here, and here,” as he points to the obvious dents in his limb.

Foo Fighters/ Weezer
Easily one of the best days ever. My good friend Andy and I travel to Houston. Many things happen during the course of the trip. One, we see a girl fall down the escalator at the mall, then we meet a really hot lady cop on a horse. After that we see the escalator girl at the show and upon being asked if she fell she turns to her friend and screams “I told you they saw us!” After that we end up being given something illegal buy a really gorgeous asian girl, then we strike up a conversation with a girl who were we checking out and her guy friend ends up getting us drinks as we watch two amazing bands. After that it became known to Andy and I as the best day ever.

Paul McCartney Live and Let Die at Bonnaroo
Seeing Sir Paul is maybe the best thing you will ever witness. For nearly three hours this 71 year old pummels the crowd with hit after hit. Near the end of the show however, things are cranked up to eleven, and the eventual finale starts with this killer song devastating a field of over 80k people, all the while more fireworks than I’ve ever seen cover every inch of the sky above. Quite simply the best show I’ve ever witnessed.

Nins “Last Show” Roo
Essentially billed as the last show of the band, I purchased a Roo ticket with only nin on my mind. While it didn't end up being the last show,  it was easily the best nin show I ever saw. Nearly 3 hours, 35 songs, 17 of which I had never seen performed live before. It was incredible to say the least. Even one Dillinger Escape Plan made an appearance for "Wish."

Meeting Dailor ar the Pixies
When you're at a festival  plenty of times you see other people in bands around checking out acts. That's basically how I met the drummer of Mastodon on day one of Shaky Knees at the Pixies. He's chilling being awesome, and instead of asking me to not bother him (like every member of the Arcade Fire i’ve ever met) he was gracious, easy going and down right awesome.

Daft Punk at Coachella
Quite simply, this show will forever be known as the greatest show in the history of the festival, and thank xenu I was lucky enough to be there. So many highlights come to mind, but I will never forget the opening moments when the curtain is slowly pulled to reveal a giant glowing pyramid that gave me more excitement and thrills than nearly any other moment I’ve ever witnessed.

Pantera wheelchair
Seeing Pantera is a wild, wild experience. During their Texas homecoming show over a decade ago there’s a moment where you see a wheelchair bound man being carried crowd surfing style through the floor area. He makes his way to the stage and gets to watch the rest of the show from the side. The best part of the whole thing is when Phil Anselmo goes “Somebody get that motherfucker a beer, that’s going on Home Video 4.” Thanks for reading.