The ‘perfect storm’ for a concert-goer is seeing your favorites in a historical setting. I’ve been very lucky in this regard. Living next to a major city with a famous venue has its benefits. I try to appreciate this fact every time I walk into The Fillmore in SF. The perfect storm for me happened a few times at the Fillmore. Once when I saw Tom Petty and then again when I stood 10 feet from Carlos Santana for 2 hours. The history drips off the walls in that place. The Fillmore is just as special for the bands playing as it is for the crowd paying.
Road Trips
I rarely travel overnight to see a concert. I hope to do a lot more of it. There are a few iconic venues that I would love to experience. Most live music lovers point to these venues as ‘must see’.
My venue bucket-list (in no particular order):
Red Rock Amphitheater in Colorado
The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville
The Arena at Nimes in France
Madison Square Garden in NYC
Also the big 3 in Southern California: The Hollywood Bowl, The Greek Theater and The Troubadour night club.
So the hunt begins! I have added these venues to my list of places to regularly check for upcoming acts. Madison Square Gardens is on my list because it falls into the category of ‘ghosts in the building’ . Meaning that the building itself is not a big deal but the history it holds is. I missed my opportunity to see Billy Joel there. THAT would have been great to see him doing the unprecedented. MSG became HIS house during his many residencies there.
It reminds me of the old Cow Palace near San Francisco. For many years, it was the only arena near SF so EVERYONE came through. There is a wood paneled wall in the box office that has hundreds of signatures on it. These are the autographs of performers who played there. Everyone from Bob Hope to Elvis Presley. If those walls could talk!
Red Rocks Park & Amphitheater in Colorado and The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville are both “sacred music venues”. Red Rocks is a natural beauty and The Ryman is historical and religious. If you are looking for comfort, neither of these venues are for you. Red Rocks is a sprawling amphitheater of benches. The sound produced and beauty of the natural amphitheater of sandstone formations near Morrison, Colorado, make the park special. A nine thousand plus seat theater was built in this natural setting. I would risk the potential backache from sitting on those benches to see a favorite artist here! And hear their sound bounce off those rocks.
The Ryman, in Nashville, is a little more humane because their wooden pews have backs. I was lucky enough to tour the Ryman in 2022. My takeaway was that it is a beautiful venue with amazing sight lines and a lot of history. They say that the acoustics are top notch also.
The Ryman began life as an all-denomination church, called the Union Gospel Tabernacle in 1892. It was built by a rich Nashville business man turned devout Christian, Thomas Ryman. It was intended to be a place to hold revivals and it certainly did. The problem was that they could never cover expenses. To make ends meet, the hall was leased for non-religious events like speaking engagements, boxing matches and concerts. The venue floundered over the years until they garnered a permanent resident . Local radio station WSM had an immensely popular radio program called “WSM Barn Dance”. So popular that people would flock to the radio station to see the musicians perform.
The radio station started booking venues on show day to handle the crowds. Apparently, the rowdy crowd caused the station to switch venues often. Enter the Ryman and its need for tenants. The Ryman welcomed the radio show, which had changed its name to “The Grand Ole Opry”, to become a regular resident. The Grand Ole Opry was held at the Ryman for 31 years. It moved only because it outgrew the place. The Ryman stayed vacant for 20 years after the Opry left but it never closed. From 1989-1994, renovations were performed on the Ryman making it the premiere music venue it is today.
Merci Metallica
Oh, the beauty of YouTube! I watched a 2009 Metallica concert recorded in France. The boys played in a real Roman Amphitheater (built around 100 AD) called the Arena of Nimes. The visual of the event was spectacular. Metallica is the perfect band to play an ancient, crumbling coliseum. Beautifully filmed, this concert sounds and looks amazing. The venue has held events ranging from Bullfights to WWE wrestling to heavy metal concerts. It must be seen to be believed and I would love to see it in person. The whole thing is still available BELOW!
What A Beautiful Noise
I’ve been to the Hearst Greek Theater in Berkeley, CA. many times. I highly recommend it! Built in 1903, it is an ornate, cement amphitheater with amazing acoustics. I wonder if the Greek Theater in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park is similar. I know that many famous stars have performed there. This venue got on my list a long time ago. I was swept up in a Neil Diamond frenzy from watching his “Love At The Greek” TV special in 1977. I want to feel that love! There were celebrities in the crowd! I can only imagine sitting out there on a hot August night, enjoying great music.
Open Mic Night
Much of the music that I love came out of the Los Angeles area. Many of my faves were discovered by the LA record companies at the clubs in town. The biggest ‘honey-hole’ for new talent was a club in West Hollywood called The Troubadour. The Troubadour nightclub opened in 1957. It didn’t take long for the place to become a breeding ground for hit makers. The club instituted an open-mic night in the early 60’s. Linda Ronstadt was a regular as was Neil Diamond.
In the 70’s, even more household names got their start. Elton John, Carly Simon, and James Taylor. In fact, the Troubadour was consistently on the leading edge of every music trend. In the 80’s, the club was home to the Glam Metal bands (Cinderella, LA Guns, Motley Crue). In the 90’s, the Troubadour was hosting the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Radiohead. I would love to see an established band, who cut their teeth at the Troubadour, returning to those stomping grounds for one night only. Or even better: visit on a night when a NEW star is born.
Venue V.I.P.
Since The Fillmore is my home field, I can give tips to newcomers. First of all, grab an apple at the top of the stairs on the way in. Why are they there? It’s a tradition Bill Graham started at the very beginning. Some people may need to put something in their stomach before a night of partying at the Fillmore. At some point, go up even more stairs to the big room. This is where the 20 foot walls are covered with those famous Fillmore posters. Are there any hidden gems at the other venues on my bucket list? I would be interested to know.
What Happens Here….
A new venue has jumped on many bucket lists. Its the Sphere in Las Vegas! The Sphere brings a new element to the live concert experience. Rumors of Metallica playing there in 2026 have been confirmed! I have started a GoFundMe page for the tickets. Experiencing live music is one of life’s great pleasures. Icing on the cake is when this happens in a famous building. In a place where countless fans, like yourself, have felt the same way. These buildings are hallowed ground, where men and women, greater than I have realized their dreams and touched lives.
