Top Five Ticket Stubs

By Less Lee Moore

Like many hardcore fangirls, I collect memorabilia relating to my obsessions. I try to remain unfazed by the remarkable similarities between my collector habits and those of serial killers, and concentrate instead on the tenacity of spirit that such pack-rat-edness surely exemplifies.

There are many bands and movies I’ve seen more than once. Now I’ll take you on a pictorial journey through my favorite collections of multiple ticket stubs.

Click the image to
see all the tickets.

1. Fight Club

Friday, October 15, 1999—United Artists Theater, Metairie, LA
Sunday, October 17, 1999—The Palace, Elmwood, LA
Tuesday, October 19, 1999—The Palace, Elmwood, LA
Saturday, October 30, 1999—The Palace, Elmwood, LA
Sunday, November 7, 1999—United Artists Theater, Metairie, LA

It’s obvious I loved this movie. After the first time, I couldn’t speak for three hours. . . and then I couldn’t shut up for at least four. I loved taking Fight Club virgins to the theater and watching their reactions.

I don’t know if a movie like Fight Club could ever be made now, at least not by a major studio.

2. R.E.M.

Friday, September 12, 1986—Saenger Theatre, New Orleans, LA
Wednesday, September 13, 1995—LSU Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, LA

Click the image to see all the tickets.

It’s weird that I ended up seeing R.E.M. for the second time nine years (to the day, plus one!) after the first time I saw them. It’s also weird because the first time I was a huge R.E.M. fan and psyched about the show but the second time I only went because of free tickets. My friend’s sister couldn’t attend at the last minute. By 1995 I was over R.E.M., but into Radiohead, who opened.

The heavy traffic from New Orleans to Baton Rouge meant I ended up missing all but the last song Radiohead performed.

Surprisingly, the R.E.M. show was fantastic, even the new songs I didn’t like. You’d have to buy the tickets AND pay me to go see R.E.M. now.

3. Sonic Youth

Friday, November 2, 1990—Campbell Hall, UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA
Saturday, November 18, 1995—Howlin’ Wolf, New Orleans, LA

In 1990 I wasn’t even into Sonic Youth, but it was still a good show. By 1995 I was a fan. The Howlin’ Wolf, like most music venues in New Orleans, requires I.D. because they sell liquor. Sonic Youth had agreed to an all ages show and they were livid when they arrived and discovered it wasn’t. The Wolf’s owner spent a bundle adding a second floor to the venue, but oversold the show by at least a hundred. Angry band plus frustrated teens mixed with claustrophobic fans who couldn’t actually see the band equals BAD TIMES. Plus, Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon’s kid was sick and they were worried. This all meant that the interview I’d scheduled with them for my fanzine did not take place. I was disappointed, but understood their priorities.

Click the image to see all the tickets.

Steve Shelley felt so bad about the cancelled interview that he left his drumsticks with the club’s door guy to give to me. But because the whole night left such a bad taste in my mouth, I didn’t go back to the venue for almost a year. The next time I went there, the door guy told me he’d just given the drumsticks away a few days before.

4. Cheap Trick

Friday, November 1, 1995—House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
Friday, May 9, 1997—UNO Lakefront Arena, New Orleans, LA
Monday, August 18, 1997—House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
Sunday, May 24, 1998—House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
Tuesday, May 4, 1999—House of Blues, New Orleans, LA
Monday, March 13, 2000—House of Blues, New Orleans, LA

Oh Cheap Trick, how I love thee! Robin Zander’s voice can scream and croon with equal skill. Tom Petersson is a wizard on the 12-string bass and so handsome in person, it’s kind of breathtaking. Bun E. Carlos looks like someone’s grey-haired cab driver uncle, but he’s got great timing. And Rick Nielsen is one of my personal guitar gods.

I won free tickets from Tower Records for the UNO Lakefront Arena show, but since my boyfriend worked there at the time I’m doubtful they were won honestly. At any rate, I was glad I didn’t have to pay because the band opened for the loathsome Stone Temple Pilots.

Click the image to see all the tickets.

Every time I’ve seen Cheap Trick, they’ve performed an unexpected song that made the already outstanding show even better. Once it was “Heaven Tonight.” Another time, it was John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero.” And still another, it was “Ballad of T.V Violence.” In 2000, they pulled out all the stops, with John Lennon’s “I’m Losing You,” “ELO Kiddies,” “I Can’t Take It,” and “Fan Club” which made me cry, no kidding. (The only time I ever saw them play “The Flame” was the very first time, so I forgave them for that one.)

5. Velvet Goldmine

Click the image to see all the tickets.

Friday, November 13, 1998—Canal Place Theater, New Orleans, LA
Saturday, November 14, 1998—Canal Place Theater, New Orleans, LA
Tuesday, November 17, 1998—Canal Place Theater, New Orleans, LA
Saturday, November 21, 1998—Canal Place Theater, New Orleans, LA
Monday, November 23, 1998—Canal Place Theater, New Orleans, LA

The first time I saw Velvet Goldmine, I hated it, because I expected a fairly straightforward biography of David Bowie’s career. The next day, I found the soundtrack at a record convention, bought it, listened to it, and decided, “Wait a minute, I LOVE this movie!” Which is why I went to see it again the very next night. By the third time, the theater employees laughed at me and my friend and let us in for free. It’s a shame it only played for a few weeks because I would have gone five more times. And I would have gladly paid for the tickets.