Author: hemisphire

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I had started dating Melanie, and took her to see The Excentrics as I visited Nick’s for the last time.

The Excentrics:

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I was back living with my parents in Annandale, so Springfield was an easy trip to see Dream Theater in a club.

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Dream Theater:

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This was definitely Heather and mine’s last show as we broke up the next night. Maybe it was good it was at a loud venue. 1997 was also the year I left the record store business. After Digital Exchange made it through our three year lease, Eric and I faced the music and knew we weren’t making enough to live on, so we closed down the store and sold off everything to pay the remaining bills. I started working for the Waxie Maxie chain, starting in Springfield as an assistant manager then moving down to Potomac Mills for the horrifically busy holiday season. In 1997 I got my own store in Bailey’s Crossroads, but that was closed in the fall and I went to Crystal City only to be faced with a micromanaging district manager who used to run that store. He came to the store everyday and criticized me, but I got my revenge: I handed in my notice the day after Thanksgiving. No more free concerts after that, though.

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Cowboy Junkies:

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Save Ferris was a fun ska group with a killer cover of “Come On Eileen”. Also really cool of them to bring The Specials out with them. Everclear was always good to see, while Sugar Ray and The Verve were new to me, but played their hits (well, except Bitter Sweet Symphony). The last band to play was The Cure, and I insisted we leave. I cannot stand Robert Smith’s voice.

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Save Ferris:

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Everclear:

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Sugar Ray:

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The Verve:

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By this point, I just couldn’t get enough of The Wallflowers or The Jayhawks. Funny that The Wallflowers played only 3 more songs than when they were an opener in August.
Washington Post preview

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Maypole:

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The Jayhawks:

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The Wallflowers:

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I loved Līve’s first two albums. I didn’t love Secret Samadhi as much, but this show featured plenty of Throwing Copper. I also like Reef’s bellowing singer.

Reef:

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Līve:

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For a long time, this was the only show I’d gone to I didn’t have a date for as there was no ticket and I failed to write it down at the time. But I took a deep dive through Washington Post microfiches at the library and found it. I wished I remember as much about the show.

Jamie Blake:

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Fleetwood Mac was pretty close to the top of my bucket list at this point, and The Dance and the subsequent tour was just great. I even loved the new songs (especially “Bleed To Love Her”).
Washington Post preview

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Fleetwood Mac:

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John Fogerty had a rocking new album, plus he was finally doing all the Creedence Clearwater Revival hits.
Washington Post review

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John Fogerty:

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After seeing Sheryl Crow so many times, this was the biggest place I’d see her headline. Fantastic openers as well.

Michael Penn:

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Wilco:

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Sheryl Crow:

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