Seeing Them Live

In this episode of Seeing Them Live, Charles welcomes accountant and live music enthusiast Steve Pothel, a prominent figure from Charles' book, "Ticket Stub Stories: A Memoir of Live Music." Joining them is co-host and producer Doug Florzak. Steve reminisces about his early concert experiences, correcting his memory about his first concert, which turned out to be The Cure's "Wish" tour followed by...

In this episode of "Seeing Them Live," host Charles introduces Jessica Catena, creator of the Music Notes with Jess podcast, a weekly show focused on the latest trends in the music industry. With over 200 episodes covering diverse topics and genres, Jessica shares her unique perspectives on live music, drawing from her experiences attending numerous concerts and her passion for singing at church....

Dawn Fontaine shares her journey of finding healing and happiness through live music. She recounts attending her first concert at 16, seeing The Offspring, which left a lasting impact on her. Dawn explains how she started attending live shows every weekend, meeting new people, and maintaining a spreadsheet to track the bands and venues she visited. She also recounts meeting legendary musician Step...

For the last episode of season one, Charles interviews Pauline, an educational leader, and professional learning designer. The narrative unfolds as Pauline recounts her 12-year-old-self attending a Dave Matthews Band concert in 1994, courtesy of tickets acquired through a connection to the tour manager. The excitement of the concert is heightened when, unexpectedly, they discover backstage passes...

In this episode of "Seeing Them Live," Charles welcomes guest Andy to share memorable concert stories. Andy discusses his extensive collection of concert ticket stubs, mentioning that he has about 350 concert stubs and over 125 stubs from other events. The conversation takes a nostalgic turn as they reminisce about concerts they attended together since seventh grade. Charles asks Andy about his fi...

Roger Mairlot, a retired car mechanic in his 70s, takes center stage in this episode of Seeing Them Live. Renowned for his passionate dedication to live music, Roger's story has attracted the attention of media giants like Vice News, The Guardian, and CBC Radio Canada. With an astonishing personal record of attending over 725 consecutive gigs and accomplishing the feat of attending six gigs in one...

Doug describes his experience at a Queen concert in Chicago where fans began pelting Freddie and the band with eggs. He talks about the time he convinced his reluctant wife to see a Smithereens concert outdoors, only to be drenched in a sudden downpour.  He expresses his passion for collecting concert ticket stubs and discusses the sentimental value they hold, providing glimpses into the past. Dou...

Summer recalls the first time she saw Alanis Morrissette; it was September 1, 1996 and Taylor Hawkins was on the drums. She would see Taylor Hawkins one last time with the Foo Fighters at Chicago's Wrigley Field, but this time as a Concert Mom. She also describes a close encounter with Tyler Joseph and the unusual way in which Till Lindeman and Rammstein got attention on stage. BANDS MENTIONED: 21...

Art talks about his experience at the infamous April 9, 1977, Led Zeppelin show, when the concert had to be stopped and cancelled due to Jimmy Page collapsing on stage. He also tells us how a mere five dollars got him into Chicago's Riviera Theatre to see Rush. That night Rush played their new album, 2112, in its entirety. See and hear more at https://www. SeeingThemLive.com or https://www. Seeing...

Heidi takes us back to her first concert experience in 1976 with the Eagles, just months before the release of their iconic album "Hotel California." Little did she know this concert would mark the beginning of her unique role as what we call the "Concert Mom." Heidi opens up about her journey as a concert mom, sharing stories of the one-of-a-kind live music experiences she had with her sons inclu...

Todd tells us about his first concert, the Beach Boys in 1965, and how Dennis Wilson signed a cigarette for his sister. We also talk about seeing Led Zeppelin in 1977 in Cincinatti. Bands Mentioned:  Beach Boys, Herman's Hermits, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, Lisa Marie Presley, Tom Petty, Ashley Lewis, Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Eddie Murphy. Venues Mentioned: Uptown...

Valerie takes us back to the mid-1980s starting with back-to-back concerts as well as her experience at The Lumineers concert just weeks before the Covid shutdown. Bands Mentioned: Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf, Black Crows, Jimmy Page, Doobie Brothers. Venues Mentioned: Poplar Creek (Hoffman Estates, IL), Aragon Ballroom (Chicago, IL), Rosemont Horizon (Rosemont, IL), Alpine Valley (...

Tom describes some wild experiences from his concert going youth including the time he swam up to a stage and sang with John Kay of Steppenwolf while dripping wet, sliding down the hills of Tinley Park's World Theater during a rainstorm, and getting put in the World Theater's "jail" at two different concerts. During the interview, you'll find out why Tom always tried to buy one extra ticket for an...

I’ve always enjoyed talking with friends about the concerts we went to and remembering some of the crazy stories we brought back with us. Seeing Them Live is a podcast featuring live music fans retelling their favorite concert stories.  When I was 11, I went to my first concert with my mom to see the Eagles. From that point forward and into the next four decades, I’d seen lots of bands, and every...