Best of Summerfest (So Far)

MKERocks: Best of the 'Fest (So Far):

The annual summer lakefront bacchanalia is almost upon us.  A few years ago, I recalled some of my favorite Summerfest shows, and I thought I'd go back, revise that list, and re-post it here. Please share your favorite Summerfest memories (or your opinions of any of the shows I've listed) in the comments section.  I'd love to hear from you!

Here are my top five highlights from my past twenty-some-odd years of hitting the Fest:

5.  The Violent Femmes, The Avett Brothers, Edward Sharpe and Magnetic Zeroes- Marcus Amphitheater 6/26/13
Summerfest has a knack of booking unique "one-off" performances.  The reunited (at least for the moment) original line-up of the Violent Femmes delivered a homecoming worthy performance with the Horns of Dilemma and all.  The Avett Brothers' first trip to the big stage further propelled the band into super stardom, and backed with great interplay between Alex and Jane, Edward Sharpe fired up the crowd with a riveting opening set.

photo by Stephen Bloch

4.  Wilco: (seen July 3, 2003 and July 6, 2006)
If you know me musically (and currently) you know that Wilco is my favorite band, and I have a terrible, “homer” bias towards them.  I first saw them at H.O.R.D.E Fest in 1995, and have since taken in over 20 shows of Wilco or Jeff Tweedy (their lead singer/songwriter) solo.  Simply put, I love their tunes.

The 7/3/03 show is one that I'm guessing many music aficionados would look over (as it was in a weird stage of the band's history where they had fired longtime guitarist and co-songwriter Jay Bennett and before they signed now-guitarist extraordinaire, Nels Cline.). However, for one very brief tour, Wilco toured with a large projection screen that showcased black and white images of the Chicago River architectural boat tour while the band played a set of old numbers dating back to Tweedy's previous band, "Uncle Tupelo," alongside brand new tunes at the time from the forthcoming “A Ghost Is Born” album like “The Late Greats,” and “Muzzle of Bees.”  It was by far not the tightest Wilco set I've ever seen, but certainly one of the most memorable, as they busted out "New Madrid" and "We've Been Had'" in a very eclectic set.

3.  Widespread Panic (7/9/95, 7/4/94, 7/5/97, 7/2/98, 7/3/01, 7/3/02)

blurry, yes, but JB's sporting the Brewers jersey!

Needless to say, I saw "The Panic" a bunch of times during the Fest.  Of all of the shows I attended, the encore of "Can't Find My Way Home" with lead singer, John Bell, donning a Milwaukee Brewers hat and jersey might be my favorite moment of Panic at The Fest.  There is a time when you're in college and Summerfest becomes the place to unite your buddies from near and far.  This moment in '98 pretty much summed that sentiment up.  Their prolific shows and long jams during the height of their career played well to the festive Summerfest fans. 

2.  Bob Dylan and Paul Simon: July 4, 1999

photo from Boblinks.com

This was my first time seeing both of these artists. Dylan, who at the time, was known for having either “on” or “off” nights, was spot on, opening with a spirited cover of The Grateful Dead's "Friend of the Devil," and also sang a duet with Simon for "The Sounds of Silence." Needless to say, Dylan is no Art Garfunkel, but this odd musical memory stands out.  Paul Simon stole the show with a lengthy set showcasing much of his world music-influenced albums, "Graceland," and "Rhythm of the Saints."  A high energy “Call Me Al” towards the end of Simon’s set was exceptional as was “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes.”  While I have seen both artists multiple times since this gig, this night was really something special and a true representation of two musical masters.

1. Pearl Jam: July 9, 1995
You’re 16 years old and the hottest band in the country is playing your home town for two nights… who doesn’t want to be there?  Of the now hundreds of concerts I have attended, to this day, I cannot recall a hotter ticket than the 1995 Summerfest Pearl Jam shows.  Shrouded in mystery of whether the band would even show up (as they were threatening to cancel their tour due to disagreements with Ticketmaster at the time), Pearl Jam showed up and with a bang.  The first night of the their Summerfest engagement opened with “Oceans,” and ripped through much of their two albums at the time, “Ten” and “Verses.”  They even threw in some popular non-released tunes like “Yellow Ledbetter” to close the set.  However, their encore, which featured the band coming out with local Neil Diamond impersonator act “Lightning and Thunder” for a rendition of “Forever in Blue Jeans” stole the show and etched itself into the annals of Milwaukee concert lore.  I am still grateful to Benny Weber for getting me a ticket to take in this most memorable show.  I found a YouTube link of the show here for anyone who wants a trip down memory lane

photo courtesy of Wilipedia