We asked our staff “What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?” See what concerts left a lasting impression on them in this month’s staff sound-off.
The Eagles, hands down. My friend’s husband woke up sick the day of the concert, so she called me an hour before to see if I could go. It was the best concert I’ve been to! Deacon Frey, Glen Frey’s son, performed in Glen’s place along with Vince Gill. They sounded just like the records. Pure talent!
— Donia Simmons, Creative Director
311 on March 11th in Las Vegas — three nights of shows at the MGM Grand.
— Sarah Sechrist, Controller
A friend and I attended Leonard Cohen’s world tour stop at the Chicago Theater in May of 2009. He was backed by some amazing musicians and vocalists and played for nearly three hours. Cohen’s songs, including “Suzanne,” “Hallelujah,” and “Bird on a Wire,” have been covered by many other musicians throughout the years, but he did them best. My friend and I had a bucket list of things to do together and attending a Leonard Cohen concert was on it.
— Mac Lacy, Publisher
Carrie Underwood — she is a rockstar!
— Kyle Anderson, Director of Sales & Marketing
One that stands out was Def Leppard and Styx. I got to go with my dad when I was 16, and that was special because his first concert was also Def Leppard and Styx in the ‘80s. I was even wearing his vintage shirt from their Pyromania tour.
— Rachel Crick, Staff Writer & Project Coordinator
I got to see Keith Urban in a private show at the Opryland Hotel in 2010. There were about 1,000 people seated around banquet tables in a ballroom — not exactly an ideal venue — but Keith and his band played just as hard as they would have in a sold-out arena. The sound was huge, and the level of talent was mind-blowing. To be honest, I wasn’t much into country music at the time, and I didn’t know any of the songs, but the experience made me a fan, and to this day Keith Urban is still my favorite country artist.
— Brian Jewell, VP & Executive Editor
Depeche Mode on the Memento Mori World Tour — my husband surprised me with tickets to see my favorite band for my birthday last year.
— Ashley Ricks, Graphic Designer & Circulation Manager
I’m not a huge concert person, but Drake and George Strait would be my two wish list concerts.
