In my 44 years on the planet, I have seen just two concerts in New York: Depeche Mode, at the Garden, and Garbage, at the now sadly defunct Roseland Ballroom, both in the fall of 1998. I chose well, but truth be told, the bands performed better when I later saw them in Wolverhampton, a backwater town in the center of England with some of the most enthusiastic rock audiences and vibrant venues in the world (with the added attraction that, due to a more relaxed atmosphere around underage drinking, my dad could buy me a beer at the bar without an army of security immediately pouncing).
Concerts are as much about atmosphere as they are about the acts, and a reunited Oasis exceeded expectations when I saw them lay waste to Cardiff in front of an inebriated, mad-for-it crowd. Even if the fractious Gallagher brothers don’t implode beforehand, I’m skeptical as to whether that euphoria will translate to New Jersey for their shows at MetLife Stadium, but I’ll find out on Sunday.
On September 6, I’ll see the Waterboys, amongst the world’s most dependable live acts, at Webster Hall. I’m intrigued by this historic 19th-century building, which has been credited as being the first modern nightclub. Ditto the Beacon, famous for its great acoustics (and from which I have live concert DVDs — remember them? — of the Rolling Stones and Meat Loaf), where I will be seeing Alison Krauss and Union Station on September 13.
And I’m excited about foraying beyond Manhattan to explore different boroughs. Alabama Shakes rarely plays the U.K., and I’m thrilled that my first time seeing them, on September 17, will be at Forest Hills Stadium, in Queens — the spawning ground of the Ramones. But I have to cop to a bit of shame over my rationale for seeing Nine Inch Nails at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on September 3, instead of in the U.K. — differential pricing ruins gig-going for many, but small front pits in U.S. sports arenas render the concert experience more civilized for those who can afford it. If the teenage Duncan, who elbowed his way to the front to see Trent Reznor at London’s Brixton Academy, could see his future self there, this Wednesday, he would be indignant — and maybe just a tiny bit jealous. ❖
Duncan Wheeler is a professor and chair of Spanish Studies at the University of Leeds. His latest book is Following Franco: Spanish Culture and Politics in Transition.
