September rocks!

Even though we’ve already got two concerts going on in September (Bruce Springsteen at Wrigley Field on the 7th and the Smithereens in Valparaiso on the 22nd), the Palladium in Carmel made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: the double bill of two of my all-time favorites, Blondie and Devo!

In a flash of brilliance, they are billing this as the “Whip It To Shreds” tour. Super clever!

Even though it’s only three days after the Smithereens, this was one that was hard to pass up. Two great ‘80s tastes in one evening! Shane and Matt didn’t decide until recently whether or not they would go, but I guess it was just too sweet a deal for them to refuse, too, so this morning I got up at 6:45 in order to get four tickets when they went on sale at 7 am. Success! When we had lunch yesterday, we were talking about how impressed we were with Devo a couple of years ago, how they just seriously rocked up the joint. (Shane and Matt saw them on a different occasion from when Ken and I—and our friend, Doug—saw them.) You don’t normally think of Devo as playing a rave-up concert, but I’m telling you, it WAS! Shane and Matt and I saw Blondie a few years ago, too (Ken decided to sit that one out, so I think he’ll enjoy seeing them this time), and they also sounded great. What a fun concert that is going to be!

Shane and I were kind of surprised at this venue...neither of us had heard of it! When I was getting tickets, I saw that the B-52s are also playing there, in late August. It’s obviously been built since I lived there in the ‘90s, and it looks like they get some pretty decent and varied shows. I’ll do some further checking and find out more about it. It doesn’t look huge, which will make for an even cooler show.

I think I forgot to mention this, but when we were on vacation, I got a notice that Chris Isaak was also going to be in Indianapolis, at the Murat on November 25th, so I got tickets for that. I think I’ve seen him twice, and Ken has seen him more than once (including before Chris hit it big, when he was playing tiny venues in San Francisco), but it’s been a while since either of us saw him.

So we’ve got a busy fall coming up, at least when it comes to concerts! I wish they were a little more spread out, but we’ll enjoy them all! I have two new goals now: to see one of my ‘90s favorites, The Dandy Warhols (I just missed them in Chicago...we were on the road!), and to see the Stones again. I’m hopeful for both.

It’s fun to go to some concerts again. When I lived in Indy, it was pretty much a concert a month, and I saw a lot of great bands. The pickings are slim here in South Bend, but Chicago and Indy are great occasional short trips. Hey, kids...rock and roll...rock on!