Partly in conjunction with Lonewolf's thread, partly out of my own curiosity, and partly triggered by the recent discussion in other threads about how often I write about Felix & the Hurricanes in "JP's Corner," I just conducted my own tally of the past year, counting who I saw, what I saw, how often I saw it and where I saw it in 2007.
The numbers even surprised me! I'll try to explain them as I go along. But as I said, I'm blown away by the results of this count. After you see these numbers, I'm sure you'll agree that I am either a live music fanatic, have some deep-rooted problems, or both!
Here we go. In 2007, I attended a grand total of 310 shows. I define "show" as a live music occurrence in one setting; which includes individual band/artist shows, multi-band/artist shows (each multi-band show counts as one show), festivals (I counted one day of a festival as a single show; if I returned to the festival the next day/weekend, it was counted as a separate show), and other miscellaneous events that included musical performances (Millennium Music Conference, jam nights, musical theatre [Mad Muse Productions' presentations of Hedwig and Rocky Horror both involved live bands], Crazy Fest, etc.).
Within these 310 shows, I witnessed a grand total of 512 individual band/artist performances (if the show was a multi-band/artist show, each band/artist I( saw counted as an individual performance). I saw a grand total of 260 different bands and artists perform during 2007, including 203 NEW bands/artists ("new" defined as new to me; including brand new bands/artists as well as established ones I saw for the first time; this number also included national artists I saw for the first time in 2007). These shows and performers were all witnessed at a grand total of 99 different venues, festivals, fairs and other locations/situations; mostly local, and a few that were out of the area.
Further breaking it down...Who did I see most in 2007? Felix & the Hurricanes did top the 2007 list; I saw them 18 times in 2007. However, ten of these appearances were special events such as benefits, multi-band blues/rock bills, the Lakemont Park Wing-Off, Rock for the Troops and three Sunday afternoon Blues Cruises on Lake Raystown. An eleventh show was a special Thursday show at City Limits that featured John McKnight when he visited home last summer. The remaining seven times I saw the Hurricanes were seven Sunday shows at either the Hitching Post or Shaw's. Anyway, here is the list of who saw my smiling face, notepad and flashing camera the most in 2007:
18 times - Felix & the Hurricanes
10 times - Bad Daze
10 times - Spirit Lost
10 times - Grade E/Chris V & the Stanley Street Band (I'm listing them together and separately, as Grade E morphed into the Stanley Street Band during the year)
7 times - Mt. City Grass
7 times - Dustin Burley
6 times - Rusty Gun Revival
6 times - Grade E
6 times - Broken Pony
6 times - The Tony Mollick Project
6 times - Rise Phoenix Rise
5 times - Nothing Sacred
5 times - The Flame Sky
5 times - Agony Hill
5 times - Mama Corn
4 times - The Marauders
4 times - 9 Planet Tour
4 times - The Nightcrawlers
4 times - Hello, Vixen
4 times - Choking Faith
4 times - Hi-Tyde
4 times - Hair Force One
4 times - Chapter 5
4 times - 7th Gear
4 times - Chris V. & the Stanley Street Band
3 times - (17 bands/artists I saw three times)
2 times - (41 bands/artists I saw twice)
Note that many of the names listed above play frequently in weeknight or Sunday night situations, which makes it much easier for me to see them on a regular basis than someone who only plays on Fridays/Saturdays (when there is a lot more out there to choose from).
Where did I see these shows? As far as venues go, the five I attended the most in 2007 area all within 2 miles of my home in Altoona. Hitching Post runs weeknight and Sunday entertainment, so they've seen me a lot during those nights. Pellegrine's saw me a lot because they are solely a Sunday night room, when there is very little else going on. And if I can see a group performing close to home, I'll catch them at that venue rather than drive 20-30 miles out of town to see them..Hey, I've gotta save those gasoline dollars, too! Anyway, the top five breakdown:
The Hitching Post - 39 times
Pellegrine's - 37 times
Aldo's - 27 times
City Limits/30 Something - 26 times
4D's - 17 times
So there are the brunt of my numbers for 2007...my own audit, if you will. I won't go out in 2008 with the intent of trying to top my 2007 totals, but I won't be surprised if I somehow manage to do it.
JP By the Numbers - 2007
310 shows in 365 days......amazing! These numbers prove that JP is Central Pa's biggest music supporter. Thats why when the sweet sounding little girl called me at work the other day selling spots on the "Q", I told her "I'll buy only if you give Jim Price a raise" I think I left her speechless. Rock-on JP!
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DrumAndDestroy
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songsmith wrote:
undercoverjoe wrote:
One more number to pass along to you...In 2007, I took 5,569 digital photos, mostly from the music scene. (Imagine how much it would have cost to get that number of photos developed in the old days with just a standard 35 mm camera!) I'm currently determining my favorite 50 of those, which will be posted in the year recap in "JP's Corner" within the next few days.
If I counted "bluegrass jam" as a band, it would be up in the 6 or 7 range. (It did count in the individual performance and show counts.)Jeez, I'm just honored to have 2 acts on the list, and that doesn't include the bluegrass jams, which JP attends faithfully.
undercoverjoe wrote:
Beer numbers I can't give you, as I didn't keep accurate records (and since drafts and pitchers vary in size, perhaps I'll go for a gallon count for 2008, lol). But for wings, I estimate I consumed at least 1,176 from Pellegrine's (my choice for best in Blair County) in 2007. Plus a few random wings consumed at Wing-Off's and a few other venues along the way...JP, I'm now waiting for the talley of beers and wings. Just for our information, which Blair Co. bar has the best wings?
One more number to pass along to you...In 2007, I took 5,569 digital photos, mostly from the music scene. (Imagine how much it would have cost to get that number of photos developed in the old days with just a standard 35 mm camera!) I'm currently determining my favorite 50 of those, which will be posted in the year recap in "JP's Corner" within the next few days.
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UNEARTHA7XMatt
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Thanks
Big Thanks goes out to you JP for all the support you give all the bands around here. There is nobody like you man. Keep Partyin!
We got all highed Up and somebody put the car in the Pool!
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Imgrimm01
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THE GRIMM
You saw THE GRIMM twice as well... So you are down a few from what you thought.
I'm glad I didn't have to fight in a war, I'm glad I didn't get killed or kill somebody, I hope my kids enjoy the same lack of manhood
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RachelRocks
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orangekick
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