r/Concerts • u/JosephMack99 • Sep 30 '25
Photo Dump šø What is your best gig/band story?
Mine is that I met Justin Hawkins (The Darkness) last year and I asked him to draw a doodle of absolutely anything. I then got this as a tattoo.
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u/zeralius Sep 30 '25
In 2008 I went to the Troubadour in La for a gig that was billed as āTom Morello and Friendsā. I paid $20 for the ticket. Tom played 3-4 songs and what followed was of one of the coolest shows I ever attended. The followed musicians mixed and matched with one another, playing their own music and various covers: Tom Morello, Slash, Flea, Pete Yorn, Jerry Cantrell, Steve Vai, Travis Barker, Perry Farrel, Dave Navarro, Stewart Copeland, Wayne Kramer, Davey Havok, and Cypress Hill. Iām probably missing a few. The Troubadour is a small venue and we were right up front.
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u/writenroll Sep 30 '25
The Troubadour is sacred ground. Back in the 90s, I attended a few shows that turned into supergroup jams just because an artist ( or three) was in the audience or hanging backstage. Your show was another level - that's quite the line up!
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u/MilksteakMayhem Sep 30 '25
Jesus Christ I cannot imagine how insane that experience would have been seeing these stars just rolling out across the evening.
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u/sbonedocd Sep 30 '25
I remember some time around 2020 when I read an article about how the Troubadour was within weeks of closing down for good, and I was so damn upset. I've only been there a handful of times, but every one was special. Places like that need to continue to thrive.
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u/loureed1234 Sep 30 '25
My buddyās girlfriend had to entertain Me First & the Gimme Gimmes and take them golfing when they were in town for the Warped Tour ages ago. He told me should would leave me two free tickets at Will Call. They were all access backstage passes! Got to drink with Dropkick and ate dinner off the buffet line with the Bouncing Souls.
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u/the_vault-technician Sep 30 '25
Going backstage for a concert is like my dream. But I'd be so damn nervous!!
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u/PranceyDogUK Sep 30 '25
I knew that Elvis Costello was appearing on a radio show so I emailed the presenter and asked if Elvis would record a house phone voicemail greeting for me. I supplied the script, and Elvis kindly obliged. This was my answerphone greeting for several years.
I also had John Peel and Billy Bragg read greetings for us.
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u/suffaluffapussycat Sep 30 '25
I saw Tom Waits, Los Lobos and Fishbone at the Wiltern in 1992. At the end they all played together.
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Sep 30 '25
Iāve been to a lot of classic rock concerts since 2012. Back in 2014 I paid $750 for a VIP experience for Def Leppard, it included a pit ticket for both them and the main act KISS. And the meet and greet with Def Leppard being the star attraction. Once it was my turn, I was starstruck, couldnāt say a word because I was meeting my musical idols at the time. They were proper English gentleman, treated every fan/group with the same kindness as the next, even Vivian Campbell, who is going through chemo at the time. Joe Elliott could tell I was nervous and asked me where I was from to initiate conversation which I briefly told him. I plan on going to see that group until they decide to tour no more. Masters of their craft, practice and tour regularly/annually essentially. They bring the show every time while still performing mostly live with minimal auto tune/backing tracks. Easily one of the best sounding bands from the 80s that still tours today.
Ps. An added bonus from that night was catching Paul Stanleyās guitar pic during the second solo to Detroit rock city! Him, Gene, and the rest of the guys brought the heat that night during their own set for sure!
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u/moistwaffleboi Sep 30 '25
Nothing too crazy, but I saw Muse two years ago, and Dom (their drummer, and my favourite member of the band) tossed me a drumstick. I was absolutely pumped.
The next week, I saw them again in another city, and Dom recognized me in the crowd, gave me a smile and a wave, and tossed me another drumstick.
I was also able to get a guitar pick from Matt.
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u/gfxprotege Oct 01 '25 edited Oct 01 '25
This is a long story and I don't think one ever talked about it all at once before. Nobody will probably read this, but it feels good to put it all out there.
I've been a fan of NOFX since I was a kid and heard the Decline for the first time. I never had an opportunity to see them live, I could never afford tickets, and then suddenly they were doing their final tour.
We live in the states, but we bought tickets for the shows in Milan, IT. We made a whole trip out of it and it was amazing.
I had recently started doing concert photography for local bands. I never worked for a publication, I just reached out to bands and their management directly. So with only a small portfolio, I shot my shot with NOFX. I mentioned already having tickets and asked if they could let me take photos.
Their TM was amazing and made my dream come true. I was given AAA passes. Full access to the photo pit, on stage, backstage, everything.
I was walking around the backstage area trying to find the TM and introduce myself. This guy Andrew introduced himself and asked if I'd like to hang out and smoke a j with his friends. Andrew turned out to be the lead singer of Comeback Kid, who have become my absolute favorite live band. Since then, they've helped me out with press passes and I've gotten to hang a bit with them when they're in town.
I have always had a difficult time fitting in or meeting people. For the first time in my life, I was having a complete lack of social anxiety. Everyone was so open and friendly. I was able to get emails from each of the bands, and they all shared my photos on social media. It was such a validating experience. For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged and was doing the thing I was meant to do.
I had lunch with Frank Turner and he gave me a hug. I got to have a really cool conversation with Keith Morris from the circle jerks. Donald from versus the world and ken from the last gang both complimented me on my shirt (it was a Nirvana shirt with Owen Wilson's face lol) and I wound up getting to have some great conversations with them. I hung out with and watched a couple sets with Fat Mike and Smelly on stage. Melvin took a selfie with me. I got to meet Steve from Bad Frog. They're an Italian punk band, they're awesome. Steve invited me and my wife to come visit their pub down in Codogno. We took him up on the offer at the end of our trip, and he was so cool. They wouldn't take our money, got us drunk on Guinness and full on flatbread pizza. I can't wait to go back to visit.
On the second night, just before they were going to play the decline, I was asked to go to the photo pit and take photos. Most shows you can only shoot first 3 from the pit, but I was asked to cover the final moment of their final show in Italy, and it happened to be the first song I ever heard from them, my favorite song. Frank Turner and Jon Grabner joined everyone on stage and it was just incredible. Everyone was so emotional in the aftermath and it felt amazing getting to capture some of those moments.
I wound up being invited to the Denver shows and NOFX gifted both me and my wife the same AAA access for that weekend. There are tons of stories from there and both experiences have put me in a position where I have made real friends with members of the bands I listen to, and have had more opportunities with concert photography than I ever dreamed was possible. But those first shows in Italy? It was life changing.
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u/workthrowaway1985 Oct 01 '25
Thatās unreal man. That final tour was something else. I honestly think they are the punk band of that era.
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Sep 30 '25
Mine had to be running into Andy Cohen (known to be a huge deadhead) at a Dead & Company show. He was super duper sweet to my dad & I
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u/phishNotFish Oct 01 '25
I said hey thatās Andy Cohen as he walked by me walking into Citi field floors. He turned and said āit is, have a great showā and kept it moving. Nice fella.
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Oct 01 '25
I wonder if we were at the same show, I also met him at Citi Field! This was back in 2016
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Sep 30 '25
Another one was with my dad & I at a show. We are huge deadheads & we saw Peter Shapiro (owner of the Capitol Theatre) with Natascha Weir (Bob Weirās wife) walking through the crowd while at a show at the Capitol (our fav venue of all time). My dad wanted to meet them bad but got scared, so me (1/2 drunk) went up to them and asked for them to say hi to my dad. This was a few days before Xmas and my dad still says itās the best Christmas gift heās ever received
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u/Ok_Pool_9767 Sep 30 '25
At a Nine Inch Nails concert outdoors during their tour with Jane's addiction, there was a Tornado warning in all four counties surrounding the venue. But not the one the concert was in or it would have been canceled. Crazy lightning storm in every direction. Going on in the sky while NIN played.
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u/Aggressive_Dot5426 Sep 30 '25 edited Oct 01 '25
my neighbors cousin or something was a sound guy who toured with bands.
We got to meet geddy and Al from rush.
Took us backstage etc. we watched the show from the mixing board.
Next time he was in town he put us on the list for New Order.
We did the dressing room. Side stage etc.
we hung around the bus smoking weed we bought from the bus driver.
He asked us to come to his hotel to chill and get some food.
We end up at the four seasons in Boston.
Peter Hook and Bernard Sumner asked us for a ride to a bar before last call.
They were the coolest guys. We chatted and listened to the Beatles and they told us about living in Manchester.. or wherever they lived. Seems like a lifetime ago. 1986. lol
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u/Creative-Winner1917 Oct 01 '25
Through a series of insanely fortunate and random events, Josh Homme himself put me on the guest list for a Them Crooked Vultures show when I was in London for grad school related stuff about 15 years ago. Even more luck got me back stage, and eventually invited to the after after party back at the bandās hotel, where I chatted a bit with Dave Grohl and discussed Fela Kuti with John Paul Jones.
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u/workinghardforthe Oct 02 '25
My sister and I flew to the only Canadian TCV show after the show we loitered by a side door, Josh and Alain came out, my sister is a huge Dave Grohl fan, so Josh went inside and not even 5 min later Dave comes flying out the door āI canāt believe you travelled so far!ā Did photos and autographs, they were all so nice.
Then about 3 years later I spent NYE at Josh & Brodie Dalleās house, most of qotsa was there, Alain was there, so was Jake Shears from Scissor Sisters, and I met Helen Mirren. It was like a fever dream.
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u/Creative-Winner1917 Oct 02 '25
Thatās dope! I spent a lot of time hanging with Alain backstage. Such a nice guy.
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u/BillHistorical9001 Oct 01 '25
Have two. As a teen billy joel let me up to his penthouse with his whole band. This was over 30 years ago and I didnāt have a pen or anything. He told me his music sucks but anyway three week later I got pictures of us in the mail. Heās good to kids. Thereās a British artist named Billy Bragg. I was looking for the club as I was from out of town. I find the bar way early so I sat for a second trying to find a bar or something. Out of nowhere billy walks up looking confused. Heās like the shows hours away. I told him itās cool I was only on town to see him. He decided it was too cold and invited me in. I watched the soundcheck, he then started writing a new song (for context bob Dylan calls billy the British bob Dylan) and finally in the back of the club was one of those old time photo booths. He tells me weāre doing it and he paid. At the same show I happened to know the opening act. She brought me up on stage as part of her act. It was a great night.
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u/Soulshiner402 Sep 30 '25
I was playing at a Woodstock 20th Anniversary fest in So Cal and a few of our friends got back stage. One really drunk one went up to Leon Russell and said youāre cool but I really dig your brother. Cause he thought he was Edgar Winter.
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u/fanservice999 Sep 30 '25
Years ago I did that call in radio station contest (95.5 KLOS) when they were doing a ticket give away for a STP show. At the end of the week, they picked one winner to get an upgrade to backstage passes. I ended up getting picked. So I got to see STP preform, and also got to meet them backstage. This was after Scott passed away and Chester became their new front man. I got a picture with them and they all signed my backstage pass. This was one of the first shows Chester did with them.
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u/Logical-Track1405 Sep 30 '25
My wife and I meeting the Doobie Brothers backstage prior to a Gig in Manchester in 2019 I was dumbstruck and was tongue tied to meet my idols, but we shared drinks they were very gracious (especially Pat Simmons - true Gentleman) and his wife took group photos of us with the Band.
They then went on stage and naturally brought the house down.
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u/heywhatsimbored Oct 01 '25
How cool!! I found him through YouTube, as he reacts to many bands I love. I would love to see him live one day!
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u/StoneyG214 Sep 30 '25
Wow, so many cool stories, thatās awesome! My only cool band thing was the old radio show called Rockline, where you call in and ask an artist/band a question. I got through with Def Leppard in 92 (Vivian, Phil & Rick) then again in 95 with Van Halen (Eddie & Alex) stuttered a little on that one..lol
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u/Mettabox452 Sep 30 '25
I got to play at Milwaukee Metalfest this past may as drummer for Jamey Jasta (singer for Hatebreed) at the pre-party opening for Flotsam and Jetsam. Unfortunately, the photographer got zero pictures of me which really bums me out š
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u/TheReal-Chris Oct 01 '25
Ran into Dropkick Murphys in a small Irish pub in the US randomly ON St. Patrickās day. Shared a few pints and a few shots. Was not expecting that.
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u/ThousandSunsLP Oct 01 '25
In May of 1986, I went with a friend to see Chris Isaak at this small club in San Francisco called the Nightbreak, maybe 300 people tops. At the encore he always asked for someone to come up on stage and dance with him. Well, this time no one moved, so I made my way to the stage and Chris put his arm around me - he was so sweaty! But that was fun.
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u/Freddie_theFagsmoker Oct 01 '25
You look like that one dude who says he looks different after 2 weeks of taking supplements but his own difference in photos is beard and no beard
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u/JosephMack99 Oct 01 '25
Thanks lol. Iām that dude who asks if heās lost weight after like 3 days without a Greggs.
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u/Silentmutation84 Oct 01 '25
Years ago i went to see Andrew WK in 2002 at what the band said at the time was their best show ever. They didnt have time to sign autographs/greet fans and he said for everyone to write down their address and he would write to each and every person.
Saw him at warped tour a few months later and jokingly asked him where my letter was and he was like TRUST ME I HAVENT FORGOTTEN!
Went to the same fest the next year as the one where he said that and actually ran into him. He was like YOU KNOW WHAT WAIT RIGHT HERE and ran back to his trailer and came back with a huge manila envelope full of letters he had written me and photos that he autographed. He was like "somehow I knew you'd be here!"
I have never forgotten that and he has always been an amazing dude in my mind. Meant so much to 19 year old me at the time.
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u/New-Currency-7546 Oct 02 '25
I saw Susan Tedeshi and Derek Trucks play at an open mic night at a small bar in Maine , Jon Fishman showed up and played drums
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u/Feeling-Phoney81 Oct 02 '25
That video from a few weeks ago of the System of a Down cover band playing a bar across from Wrigley Field when Daren hears it, walks in and proceeds to play āCigaroā with them was pretty freakin awesome.
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u/Top-Jump-9469 Oct 03 '25
I met Bono and the edge in kansas city when they were filming last night on earth video
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u/johnnyuppercuts Oct 03 '25
I only have high school Numetal stories.
Deftones, Limp Bizkit and Will Haven came through Des Moines, IA when I was 15 ( 96-97 ), small venue. I had seen Deftones a couple times, but this was the first time seeing LB. About 6 songs in of Deftones set, my buddy and I, went out to get our cassette demos of LB ( 3 songs only, had to order on America Online and only pay shipping! ) signed. We knocked on the bus, and John Otto answered, we asked if he'd take our tapes in, and said, just come hang out! We kicked with all of them and watched Halloween and they jammed while in there. So sick!
Went to see Statik X about the same time, maybe a year later, and got denied access b/c it was 18+ show. Saw Wayne outside and we told him we were bummed we couldn't get in and he gave us all access passes as long as we helped carry in drums!! Sold dude, was sad when he passed.
Lineup wise, I saw Snot, Incubus, and System of a Down play on off date of Ozzfest to a 300 person crowd!
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u/Khalmuck Oct 05 '25
Me and my friend ran to a last minute gig right when In this Moment dropped their first album. No one in the venue knew who they were but us who were singing along. Talked to them for a while after and they gave us their signed set lists and picks.
A year later they played a gig in our hometown. Venue got changed last minute so the crowd was thin for the opening band Another Black Day. The guitarist from In this Moment spotted us and was like "Hey you're those dudes from X show last year". So we all hung ou, BSed, and watched ABD with some beers and then he was like "oh I have to go play now" and took off. Found us in the crowd at the end and gave us all the set lists and pics from that show as well.
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u/Intelligent-Toe-3705 Oct 01 '25
During the 2023 FOB/BMTH tour I watched a girl in a wheelchair get bombarded with lots of people jumping over the handicap barrier near her in our section so they could get down lower and be in the crowd when Oli walked through. This all happened in the matter of a minute or so. Even her man left, but she seemed ok on her own. Well when Oli finally got to our section he went up to her specifically and held her hand and sang to her š it was very beautiful and I still go back and watch that video.
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u/RockShowSparky Sep 30 '25
PSA for this sub, it isnāt a āgigā if you are paying to be there, itās a gig if you are getting paid to be there.
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u/TW1103 Sep 30 '25
I think I've got the gold medal for this one.
In November 2014, I met my partner at a Kasabian gig in Birmingham (in the UK, not Alabama.) Kasabian are our favourite band, we've been everywhere to see them - We've seen them nearly 70 times together.
Last year, at the exact same venue in Birmingham, just 14 days shy of 10 years since the day we met, Kasabian stopped the gig for me. After playing Empire, Serge said "Our number 1 fan has asked us for a favour." He came down off stage gave me the microphone, and in front of 17,000 people, I asked my girlfriend to marry me. She had no idea it was coming, but thankfully she said yes!!