Saw this question posed on the Steve Hoffman forum, thought it was a good question. Have you ever had to choose between two concerts on the same night? How did it work out and did you regret your decision?

For myself, in 1984, I had a choice to see Van Halen or Scorpions the next night in Vancouver. Since I was in school I couldn't afford to go to both. Chose Van Halen, even though I'd seen them in 81 and 82. Definitely don't regret that choice.
Second one was I think in 96 in Vancouver. Bob Seger was playing GM Place while Oasis was playing across town at the Pacific Coliseum. Saw Seger. Saw on the news later on Oasis walked off stage early after people throwing stuff on stage. Definitely glad I saw Seger! Saw Oasis a couple years later.

1981: Rick James at the Long Beach Arena or Kraftwerk at the Santa Monica Civic

It was the summer of "Give It To Me Baby" and "Super Freak"...so it had to be Rick James.

Almost every festival I went to involved making decisions between who to see.... 2005 I skipped Slipknot and System of a down to watch Therapy? Motorhead & DKT/MC5. 2004 I skipped Ash & The Darkness to see The Libertines & Ocean colour screen. 2006 I skipped James Brown to see Primal Scream and The Strokes to see the charlatans. 2008 I skipped echo and the bunneymen to see Amy Winehouse, the manic street preachers to see REM & the Racounters to see the Pogues. I’ve also decided on being way back in the crowd at festivals due to close finishes between sets and long walks between tents...

X-Pensive Winos
or
Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
or
Blues Traveler

For some reason, I chose Southside Johnny with Ronnie Spector.
Watched Winos on TV later that evening.

This was a no brainer . August 1994 Woodstock 94 @ Saugerties or The Rolling Stones @ Giants Stadium on Saturday . I went to see the Stones and had a great day in NYC before the show . Checking out some shops and the park and dinner and across the tunnel to the show . The ride home was memorable as we got closer up the thruway we could smell the smoke from the fires and the "Zombies" staggering around on the Thruway in the middle of the night . As wasted and inebriated as I have ever been never would I consider taken a stroll on a major highway . There were all these warnings to avoid the Thruway because of the festival and the morning of the show we breezed south on the Thruway as it was practically empty . Easiest commute to a Stones show ever .

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TheGreek
This was a no brainer .

This probably belongs in the thread ‘easiest concert decisions’.

June 27, 2000, The Who, Jimmy Page and the Black Crowes, and Steely Dan were all in town on the same night. Paralyzed by indecision, I ended up not going to see any of them! Even with hindsight, I still wouldn't have been able to decide. The Who, touring for what would turn out to be the very last time with John Entwistle, or Jimmy Page, touring for what would turn out to be the very last time in any circumstances whatsoever?



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-28 02:03 by tatters.

Most of my hardest concert decisions revolve around what time we leave the bar before a Stones show if there's a decent support act. Not seen many in recent years .

sc uk



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-27 14:49 by straycatuk.

Wilco & Drive-by Truckers on the same night(different venues). Both ended up being postponed by the pandemic. If they had gone on, Wilco ended up being scheduled for 2 nights fixing the problem.

I won tickets (email lottery) to Led Zeppelin's comeback-show in London in 2007, but couldn't go.

Still hurts a bit...

Roger Waters (who I'd seen once) vs Santana (who I have never seen).

Saw Waters again (excellent seats) and gave my Santana tickets to my parents.

Santana was scheduled to play last year in Nashville and I planned on going. However, when they made the revised makeup schedule, Nashville was left off the list.

A choice between seeing Bob Marley at the Roxy in Hollywood in 1979 with a the last minute ticket from my brother, or sticking with plans to attend a long planned high school party with all my friends the same night.
Went to the party, probably had a blast, but would never have the opportunity to ever see Bob Marley again as he passed away just a year or two afterwards. I recall even back then being a bit torn about choice to make,
and to this day it's my one and only true regret having to do with decisions of going to, or not going to certain concerts.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
Hairball
A choice between seeing Bob Marley at the Roxy in Hollywood in 1979 with a the last minute ticket from my brother, or sticking with plans to attend a long planned high school party with all my friends the same night.
Went to the party, probably had a blast, but would never have the opportunity to ever see Bob Marley again as he passed away just a year or two afterwards. I recall even back then being a bit torn about choice to make,
and to this day it's my one and only true regret having to do with decisions of going to, or not going to certain concerts.

that's brutal, dude.

my buddy skipped seeing this "new band" Pearl Jam play at the Student Union Ballroom at UMass in 1990....which holds like 150 people, tops.

he and his buddies decided that rather than pay $5 each for the show, they'd pool their money for a case of Keystone Light Cans and getting drunk in a dorm room....

Keystone did have those special-lined cans to make it taste like a bottle, though....

your story is far more brutal, b/c my buddy has seen PJ like 100 times since then....

hope you got laid at the party, at least.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-27 16:36 by stickyfingers101.

Manchester Feb 9 1980

The Pretenders and The Fabulous Thunderbirds both playing in different venues on the same night.

We went for the Thunderbirds and had a great night.

My friend Chris went for the Pretenders but it was the height of their "everything louder than everything else" phase so heavy-metal sludge drowned out Chrissie's vocals,

The right choice, I think

semi-OT but on April 30, 2002 I had to attend the opening of a informal art exhibition by a friend the same night Bob Dylan was to play a show 3 miles from the art gallery. Being loyal to my friend I skipped Bob.

Guess what? The opening was lugubrious, the works by my friend only so-so and the whole thing (place, atmosphere) looked and felt cheap-o and forgettable. I went home feeling... well... cheated?

What about Bob's show then? It was spectacular... as the Crystal Cat boot I bought later "told" me.
And don't get me started on Dylan's line-up for the tour : Jim Kelter on drums and Charlie Sexton on guitar. I think that was the very last time Bob had an band that exciting to back him live.

Still hurts a bit...

I went with an old girlfriend to see Eddie Money open for Cyndi Lauper. After his set, Eddie said, "I'm going to The Fox to see Stevie Ray Vaughn." I should have went with him......

Sleeveless tee or naked underneath my leather.

It wasn't a hard decision but I had to choose my mothers funeral or miss two of their concerts.

I went to the funeral but I am sure my mother would have wanted me to go to the shows.

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Hairball
A choice between seeing Bob Marley at the Roxy in Hollywood in 1979 with a the last minute ticket from my brother, or sticking with plans to attend a long planned high school party with all my friends the same night.
Went to the party, probably had a blast, but would never have the opportunity to ever see Bob Marley again as he passed away just a year or two afterwards. I recall even back then being a bit torn about choice to make,
and to this day it's my one and only true regret having to do with decisions of going to, or not going to certain concerts.

Basically had the same situation in Boston in 1980 with Bob Marley in what turned out to be his second to last show. Also had Led Zeppelin tickets in 1980 and we know what happened to that tour. Had an opportunity for the reunion show but due to work requirements it would have been $10K to fly over, see the show and fly home the next morning and head straight to work. Would have risked a $250K extension on a contract as well as we were right up on a major deadline. I figured they would tour the US and would have been able to see a bunch of shows for less money. Still regret it but as it turned out if I blew the deadline I would have also blown 3 subsequent extensions as well which would have cost me over $1 million.

The other one was choosing to do only one weekend of Desert Trip. I thought Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, 2 weeks of Desert Trip, Bridge School Benefit and multiple midweek shows would have been too much so only did weekend 2. Big mistake,

Have had many instances with conflicts with smaller bands where tickets were given to other tapers so all shows could be recorded. Those were easier decisions.

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stickyfingers101

Quote
Hairball
A choice between seeing Bob Marley at the Roxy in Hollywood in 1979 with a the last minute ticket from my brother, or sticking with plans to attend a long planned high school party with all my friends the same night.
Went to the party, probably had a blast, but would never have the opportunity to ever see Bob Marley again as he passed away just a year or two afterwards. I recall even back then being a bit torn about choice to make,
and to this day it's my one and only true regret having to do with decisions of going to, or not going to certain concerts.

that's brutal, dude.

my buddy skipped seeing this "new band" Pearl Jam play at the Student Union Ballroom at UMass in 1990....which holds like 150 people, tops.

he and his buddies decided that rather than pay $5 each for the show, they'd pool their money for a case of Keystone Light Cans and getting drunk in a dorm room....

Keystone did have those special-lined cans to make it taste like a bottle, though....

your story is far more brutal, b/c my buddy has seen PJ like 100 times since then....

hope you got laid at the party, at least.

Well it wasn't the end of the world, and life can be way more cruel, but in terms of musical decisions/regrets, yeah...a bit brutal.

As for your buddies, hope they were all able to get drunk haha, but Key Stone LIGHT?
One of the cheapest, weakest beers ever invented...each one would have to drink an entire case to get the full effect!

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
Hairball

Quote
stickyfingers101

Quote
Hairball
A choice between seeing Bob Marley at the Roxy in Hollywood in 1979 with a the last minute ticket from my brother, or sticking with plans to attend a long planned high school party with all my friends the same night.
Went to the party, probably had a blast, but would never have the opportunity to ever see Bob Marley again as he passed away just a year or two afterwards. I recall even back then being a bit torn about choice to make,
and to this day it's my one and only true regret having to do with decisions of going to, or not going to certain concerts.

that's brutal, dude.

my buddy skipped seeing this "new band" Pearl Jam play at the Student Union Ballroom at UMass in 1990....which holds like 150 people, tops.

he and his buddies decided that rather than pay $5 each for the show, they'd pool their money for a case of Keystone Light Cans and getting drunk in a dorm room....

Keystone did have those special-lined cans to make it taste like a bottle, though....

your story is far more brutal, b/c my buddy has seen PJ like 100 times since then....

hope you got laid at the party, at least.

Well it wasn't the end of the world, and life can be way more cruel, but in terms of musical decisions/regrets, yeah...a bit brutal.

As for your buddies, hope they were all able to get drunk haha, but Key Stone LIGHT?
One of the cheapest, weakest beers ever invented...each one would have to drink an entire case to get the full effect!

to call it beer, is an insult to beer.

Crosby Stills & Nash, whom I'd already seen, but was a huge fan, or Hot Tuna, who I knew were from Jefferson Airplane, who I also loved, but nothing else, in 1988.
I went with CSN, but so did everyone else, apparently, because Tuna only sold 10 tickets and cancelled.

ZZTop (for free, no less) or Beck (not Jeff) in 2017. As I was on a Beck bender at the time, and he was playing in a theatre, and ZZ came through almost every year, I went with Beck. Still haven't seen ZZ, though.

Bruce Cockburn or Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green in 1998. I'd already seen Peter in Europe the year before, opening for Eric Burdon, but I'd also seen Bruce open for CSN in 1988, so it was really a toss up. I went with Peter Green but got to the club and found it was sold out (doh!), so I went around the back and sat by the door to just listen. After a song or two, someone came out for a joint, and after he shared some with me, I slipped back in with him. Win!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-28 01:15 by mosthigh.

I had tickets to Bob Dylan's 2002 return to Newport Folk Festival and David Bowie supporting his album "Heathen" about an hour away.

Chose Dylan and would have caught the last half of Bowie's set if he went after Moby. I believe it was a double headlining tour, and they alternated slots.

Managed to see Bowie twice on his following tour, but that's it. Still glad I made the choice I did.

Never had a clash between 2 bands that I've wanted to see.

My hardest concert decision was in 2015, should I fly from New Zealand to LA on the off chance that there was really going to be a club gig, and would it be possible to get a ticket to it...

Huge financial & emotional gamble for me to personally take, but I did....and as you can see @ 2:23, it was totally worth it... [www.youtube.com]

(Special thanks to Splatt Pee for his help)

Cheers
Richard - In Another Land



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-29 06:33 by rcfoxy.

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rcfoxy
Never had a clash between 2 bands that I've wanted to see.

My hardest concert decision was in 2016, should I fly from New Zealand to LA on the off chance that there was really going to be a club gig, and would it be possible to get a ticket to it...

Huge financial & emotional gamble for me to personally take, but I did....and as you can see @ 2:23, it was totally worth it... [www.youtube.com]

(Special thanks to Splatt Pee for his help)

Nice, and great to see your extraordinary efforts paid off - especially after having traveled half way around the world!

Nothing like seeing the Stones in a small venue.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-28 04:11 by Hairball.

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Hairball

Quote
rcfoxy
Never had a clash between 2 bands that I've wanted to see.

My hardest concert decision was in 2016, should I fly from New Zealand to LA on the off chance that there was really going to be a club gig, and would it be possible to get a ticket to it...

Huge financial & emotional gamble for me to personally take, but I did....and as you can see @ 2:23, it was totally worth it... [www.youtube.com]

(Special thanks to Splatt Pee for his help)

Nice, and great to see your extraordinary efforts paid off - especially after having traveled half way around the world!

Nothing like seeing the Stones in a small venue.

right on! that is very cool.

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daspyknows

Also had Led Zeppelin tickets in 1980 and we know what happened to that tour.

Did you actually get tickets for Led Zeppelin in 1980? The tour was canceled before they got mailed out and I thought all the mail-order tickets ended up in a warehouse, at least for Chicago. Were there some venues that sold them at the box office?

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Hairball
A choice between seeing Bob Marley at the Roxy in Hollywood in 1979 with a the last minute ticket from my brother, or sticking with plans to attend a long planned high school party with all my friends the same night.
Went to the party, probably had a blast, but would never have the opportunity to ever see Bob Marley again as he passed away just a year or two afterwards. I recall even back then being a bit torn about choice to make,
and to this day it's my one and only true regret having to do with decisions of going to, or not going to certain concerts.

I feel your pain about Marley, Hairball. I scored third row tickets for Stevie Wonder with Bob opening. Sadly, that was when Bob got sick & cancelled being on the Stevie tour. Small consolation: Stevie was fantastic (circa Hotter Than July) & Gil Scott Heron opened & was really good.I saw Peter Tosh several times but never got the chance to see Marley.

Thanksgiving’78 (?) We saw Iggy Pop at the Old Waldorf, San Francisco and then drove down to the Keystone, Palo Alto and caught the end of a Flamin’ Groovies show.

A Hard Stones Concert Decision ...
Philadelphia, 2005
It's Only Satisfaction


I live near New York City. After work, I drove around 2½ hours to the Wells Fargo Center (or Core State Ctr... whatever it was called back then) conveniently located right next to Interstate-95 ...

It was a great show...

The concert was getting nearing the end. It was getting late. I had to go to work in the morning and I had a two hour drive ahead of me. I was think about the delay getting out of the parking lot after the show sometimes could be another half an hour or more...

The Stones came back for their encore and Keith started playing the intro for It's Only Rock n Roll. The rest of the band played Satisfaction.

It was a mess! So I headed for the exit to beat the traffic! ... Jumped in my car, quickly drove out of the parking lot... Onto I-95...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-04-28 20:04 by schillid.