Welcome to the My Life in Concert podcast! Join me, your host Various Artists, on my musical time travel as I look back on (almost) every live gig I have seen from 1975 to the present. This podcast series started life as a blog on Salon.com’s late, great OpenSalon.com in 2010. It gained a regular readership there until OS closed in 2015, and is now being resurrected as a podcast in February 2020. I’ve been a lifelong tunehead and fan of many genres with a particular passion for live shows, big and small. And while I’ll be discussing the music played, the podcast won’t simply be a critique of the performance.People recall a gig’s small moments that can end up defining the event in one’s mental hard drive sometimes more than the tunes: what happened before and after; things seen and heard; technical malfunctions, musicians passing out on stage, etc. Therefore, the podcast is about the “concert-going experience” rather than simply being a description of the performance: a mixture of concert review, music history, memoir, and philosophical musing. While my main musical bases in the 70s were glam in the earlier part of the decade and punk in the latter half, my tastes have exploded through the years. The podcast will go on to encompass live concerts in many genres: r&b, jazz, folk, pop, electronic, hip-hop, country & Americana, pop, blues, reggae, and more.I grew up in and have returned to London, Ontario, Canada (with a 20-year stop in Ottawa). While I will be remembering shows from a variety of locations including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Detroit, NYC, and more, many of the early episodes will focus on concerts that took place in the Forest City from the 70s through the 90s … and now again in recent years (it will be Ottawa-heavy in-between.) There will be notable local visits by Elvis Costello, The Smiths, Iggy Pop, Marianne Faithfull, Radiohead, Joe Jackson, Steve Earle, k.d. lang, Gang of Four, and more. I’ll also have special episodes devoted to the local and regional live bands I saw regularly from the late 70s through early 90s. Along the way I’ll be dropping back into dearly departed local live venues including Fryfogle’s, the Cedar Lounge, the London Arena, the London Gardens, Bullwinkle’s, Wonderland Gardens, and the Embassy along with ongoing stalwarts like Centennial Hall and Call the Office. Outside of London, I’ll also be remembering great nights at long-gone venues such as NYC’s Danceteria, Toronto’s CNE Stadium, and Ottawa’s Barrymore’s.While London was my starting base, I’ll also be looking back on shows in Canadian and U.S. cities where I saw Neil Young, The Clash, Lou Reed, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Janelle Monae, Sonic Youth, The Rolling Stones, Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, Ornette Coleman, Laura Nyro, Bootsy Collins (who head-butted me), The Jam, Paul McCartney, the Buzzcocks, Al Green, and plenty more. You can also check out the mylifeinconcert.com blog for written entries, original ticket scans, and related visual and audio; VATV My Life in Concert on YouTube for live clips; and follow us on Facebook. (Instagram coming soon!)Come out and join me at the show!
My Life in Concert.com
Claim This Podcastby Various Artists
Podcast Overview
Welcome to the My Life in Concert podcast! Join me, your host Various Artists, on my musical time travel as I look back on (almost) every live gig I have seen from 1975 to the present. This podcast series started life as a blog on Salon.com’s late, great OpenSalon.com in 2010. It gained a regular readership there until OS closed in 2015, and is now being resurrected as a podcast in February 2020. I’ve been a lifelong tunehead and fan of many genres with a particular passion for live shows, big and small. And while I’ll be discussing the music played, the podcast won’t simply be a critique of the performance.People recall a gig’s small moments that can end up defining the event in one’s mental hard drive sometimes more than the tunes: what happened before and after; things seen and heard; technical malfunctions, musicians passing out on stage, etc. Therefore, the podcast is about the “concert-going experience” rather than simply being a description of the performance: a mixture of concert review, music history, memoir, and philosophical musing. While my main musical bases in the 70s were glam in the earlier part of the decade and punk in the latter half, my tastes have exploded through the years. The podcast will go on to encompass live concerts in many genres: r&b, jazz, folk, pop, electronic, hip-hop, country & Americana, pop, blues, reggae, and more.I grew up in and have returned to London, Ontario, Canada (with a 20-year stop in Ottawa). While I will be remembering shows from a variety of locations including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Detroit, NYC, and more, many of the early episodes will focus on concerts that took place in the Forest City from the 70s through the 90s … and now again in recent years (it will be Ottawa-heavy in-between.) There will be notable local visits by Elvis Costello, The Smiths, Iggy Pop, Marianne Faithfull, Radiohead, Joe Jackson, Steve Earle, k.d. lang, Gang of Four, and more. I’ll also have special episodes devoted to the local and regional live bands I saw regularly from the late 70s through early 90s. Along the way I’ll be dropping back into dearly departed local live venues including Fryfogle’s, the Cedar Lounge, the London Arena, the London Gardens, Bullwinkle’s, Wonderland Gardens, and the Embassy along with ongoing stalwarts like Centennial Hall and Call the Office. Outside of London, I’ll also be remembering great nights at long-gone venues such as NYC’s Danceteria, Toronto’s CNE Stadium, and Ottawa’s Barrymore’s.While London was my starting base, I’ll also be looking back on shows in Canadian and U.S. cities where I saw Neil Young, The Clash, Lou Reed, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Janelle Monae, Sonic Youth, The Rolling Stones, Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, Ornette Coleman, Laura Nyro, Bootsy Collins (who head-butted me), The Jam, Paul McCartney, the Buzzcocks, Al Green, and plenty more. You can also check out the mylifeinconcert.com blog for written entries, original ticket scans, and related visual and audio; VATV My Life in Concert on YouTube for live clips; and follow us on Facebook. (Instagram coming soon!)Come out and join me at the show!
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Recent Episodes
June 22, 2024
(EP 34, no.027) Siouxsie & the Banshees with Images In Vogue: Cities In Dust, The International Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Tuesday July 10, 1984 with Phil Robinson
<p>After years of devoted fandom, I finally get to see the one and only Siouxsie Sioux and her plucky Banshees in a cavernous—but wonderfully air conditioned—venue on Toronto’s outskirts. </p><p>I’d been following Ms. Sioux since the early days of punk rock reporting in the UK press, and fell in love with their debut 45, “Hong Kong Garden” in 1978. It was a UK smash hit and remains one of my favourite singles of the ‘70s.</p><p>I was a Banshees nut from then on, and when I finally got to see them live in 1984, I was pretty damned stoked.</p><p>HOWEVER ………. this gig is Another in an ongoing sub-thread in the mylifeinconcert.com series that could be called Concert Disasters, with said Disaster happening before, during, or after the show—OR during all 3, for those extra-lucky occasions. (See also: <a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/1980/008a-i-cant-stand-up-for-falling-down-the-heatwave-festival-august-23-1980-part-1/'>Heatwave</a>, <a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/1982/011-what-a-day-that-was-the-police-picnic-ii-friday-august-13-1982/'>Police Picnic ’82</a>, <a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/1980s/017-fucked-up-once-again-flipper-may-1983/'>Flipper</a>, etc.)</p><p>Frequently they involve some of the cheap and old cars I was driving in the 80s malfunctioning in some way. And this is the first of those Car Nightmare Episodes.</p><p>Phil Robinson once again returns to the podcast to share his memories of the show. We each went down with other people with meant Phil was spared the “journey” that the other 3 of us went through. </p><p>There is also a newly-written blog entry for this show below.</p><p>So, what the hell happened with this one? Tune in to find out and hear all about leg casts, “rumours of a gig,” smoking fuses, the little Honda that couldn’t … and cities in dust. </p><p><b>NEXT ON STAGE: </b>I’ll be selecting and looking back on my favourite London, Ontario shows that I’ve seen through the years, as well as those I missed that I would most like to have seen.<br/><br/>Following that will be an episode looking at two concerts by The Smiths. Stay tuned for EP 36 I Know It’s Over: The Smiths with Billy Bragg, Kingswood Music Theatre, Canada’s Wonderland, Vaughan, Ontario, June 9, 1985; and with Phranc, Centennial Hall, London, Ontario, July 30, 1986.</p><p> <a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/'>mylifeinconcert.com</a></p>
March 24, 2024
(EP 33, no.026) UB40: So Here I Am, Centennial Hall, London, Ontario, March 7, 1984 & Alumni Hall, UWO, London, Ontario, March 14, 1985 with Phil Robinson & Skye Sylvain
<p>Birmingham UK’s reggae outfit UB40 made two trips to London, Ontario, in the mid-80s, playing to a packed and joyous Centennial Hall on March 7, 1984, and then returning a year later almost to the week, to pack out Alumni Hall on the Western University campus on March 14, 1985. </p><p>The first show came on the heels of their international breakthrough with the “Red Red Wine” single and its accompanying covers album, <em>Labour of Love</em>, while they were riding high in the local charts with their <em>Gefferey Morgan</em> album for the ’85 show. </p><p>Special Guest Phil Robinson returns with his always splendiferous and humorous memories and observations. New Special Guest to the podcast and all-round wonderful person and broadcaster, Skye Sylvain joins us in piecing together a hilarious—and sometimes bumpy and not-so-mirthful for her—and very memorable ride through the events surrounding these two concerts, especially delving into the social stuff following the gigs and a particular interview with the band.<b> </b></p><p>Tune in for further info about those group afterparties, setlist shockers, questionable album autograph signings, “excited” band “members,” contrasting memories about meeting Ali Campbell, Astro’s sweaty towel—once again we’re back to those sweaty towels that were a big part of the previous <a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/rockabilly/015-5-ep-32-rock-this-town-the-stray-cats-with-the-deserters-alumni-hall-uwo-london-ontario-canada-saturday-march-26-1983-and-dr-rockits-wednesday-october-5-1988-also-london/'>Episode 32 on the Stray Cats from 1983</a>—a “whoopsy-daisy!” mortification moment that was part of a UB40 interview for Skye, and attempted strangulation. </p><p>You can also read <a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/1970s/025-so-here-i-am-ub40-march-7-1984-march-14-1985/'>the original 2015 blog entry at mylifeinconcert.com</a>.</p><p> </p><p><b>NEXT ON STAGE></b>After years of devoted fandom, I finally get to see the one and only Siouxsie Sioux and her plucky Banshees in a cavernous (but wonderfully air conditioned) venue on Toronto’s outskirts. </p><p>I’d been following Ms. Sioux since the early days of punk rock reporting in the UK press, and fell in love with their debut 45, “Hong Kong Garden” in 1978. It was a UK smash hit and remains one of my favourite singles of the ‘70s. </p><p>I was a Banshees nut from then on, and when I finally got to see them live in 1984, I was pretty damned stoked. </p><p>HOWEVER ………. this gig is Another in an ongoing sub-thread in the mylifeinconcert.com series that could be called Concert Disasters, with said Disaster happening before, during, or after the show—OR during all 3, for those extra-lucky occasions. </p><p>Frequently they involve some of the cheap and old cars I was driving in the 80s malfunctioning in some way. And this is the first of those Car Nightmare EPs. </p><p>Phil Robinson will also be back again to detail his memories of the show. We each went down with other people with meant Phil was spared the “journey” that the other 3 of us went through. </p><p>There will also be a new blog entry for this show. </p><p>So what the hell happened with this one? Tune in next time to find out. You’ll be hearing all about leg casts, “rumours of a gig,” smoking fuses, the little Honda that couldn’t … and cities in dust. </p><p>And that is the name of upcoming <b>Epsiode 34, Concert no. 026. Cities In Dust: Siouxsie & the Banshees with Images In Vogue, the International Centre, Toronto, Ontario, July 10, 1984.<br/><br/></b><a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/'>mylifeinconcert.com</a></p>
December 29, 2023
(EP 32, no.015.5) The Stray Cats: Rock This Town, Alumni Hall, UWO, London, Ontario, Canada, Saturday March 26, 1983 and Dr. Rockits, Wednesday, October 5, 1988 (also London) with Phil, Noelle, and Marc
<p><b>The Stray Cats arrived to rock London, Ontario in 1983 at the peak of their fame.</b></p><p>With this episode, I’ve once again jumped backwards in my story, just not as far back as that cabaret show I saw with my parents in the UK in 1977 that was the focus on <a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/1977/001-5-ep-31-mums-the-word-in-town-tonight-in-the-city-uk-77-my-mothers-life-in-music-a-portsmouth-cabaret-with-susan-maughan-tessie-o/'><b>EP 31, Mum’s the Word</b></a>.<br/><br/></p><p>This time, I jump back to March 26, 1983, when the Stray Cats rocked Alumni Hall here in London, Ontario.<br/><br/></p><p>Technically this should have been Concert no. 16, falling between <a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/1970s/015-i-found-that-essence-rare-the-gang-of-four-with-the-hoi-polloi-march-5-1983/'>no.15/EP 21 on The Gang of Four at Wonderland Gardens on March 5th</a> and <a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/1980s/016-end-of-the-party-the-english-beat-with-r-e-m-april-12-1983/'>no. 16/EP 24 on The English Beat/R.E.M. at Alumni Hall on April 23rd</a>. However, as with the previous 1977 entry for EP31, this show was initially meant to be included as part of an upcoming compilation episode.<br/><br/></p><p>The reason it was going to be part of the compilation episode is this: I don’t have a ton of memories about this show.<br/><br/></p><p>I do remember going, and recall thoroughly enjoying the evening, but that’s about it. For whatever reason, I have scant memories about this concert vs more detailed recollections for other shows from around this time.<br/><br/></p><p>However—and luckily—I seem to be alone in that regard.<br/><br/></p><p>Every time I have posted about it on Facebook, there are floods of responses from people, so clearly this was a concert that is in the hearts of many who were there.<br/><br/></p><p>Luckily, MLIC podcast regular Phil Robinson as well as Noelle from the <a href='https://mylifeinconcert.com/1960s/019-walking-on-the-moon-police-picnic-iii-featuring-the-police-peter-tosh-james-brown-king-sunny-ade-more-august-5-1983/'>Police Picnic ’83 episode (no. 27)</a>, and new guest, blogger Marc Hodgkinson, all have lots of great memories from the night to share with this blog and its attendant podcast.</p><p>So, here it is and here we are.<br/><br/></p><p>Stay tuned for stage dancing, sweaty towels, Britt Ekland sightings, restaurants serving Alka Seltzer with breakfast, Walkman music liberation, and what was the unforgettable message that Brian Setzer imparted to Noelle backstage?<br/><br/><br/><b>NEXT ON STAGE></b> Birmingham UK’s reggae outfit UB40 made two trips to London, Ontario, in the mid-80s, playing to a packed and joyous Centennial Hall on March 7, 1984, and then returning a year later almost to the week, to pack out Alumni Hall on the Western University campus on March 14, 1985. <br/><br/></p><p>The first show came on the heels of their international breakthrough with the “Red Red Wine” single and its accompanying covers album, Labour of Love, while they were riding high in the Canadian charts with their Geoffrey Morgan album for the ’85 show. <br/><br/></p><p>Not only will Special Guest Phil Robinson be returning with his always splendiferous and humorous memories and observations, new Special Guest to the podcast and all-round wonderful person and broadcaster Skye Sylvain joins us in piecing together a hilarious—and sometimes bumpy and not-so-mirthful for her—and very memorable ride through the events surrounding these two concerts, especially delving into the social stuff following the gigs and a <b>particular</b> interview with the band.<br/><br/></p><p>Stay tuned for stage dancing, sweaty towels, Britt Ekland sightings, restaurants serving Alka Seltzer with breakfast, Walkman music liberation, and what was the unforgettable message that Brian Setzer imparted to Noelle backstage?<br/><br/>mylifeinconcert.com</p>
36 total episodes available
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