First Nickel Creek Live Performance Attended

[BobVersion1]

So here is a questions... I'm sure this is probably posted elsewhere, but I haven't seen it... What was your first live Nickel Creek performance you saw in person? Mine was when they opened for Willie Nelson in Connecticut in October 2002. I actually wrote a letter and brought a rose to give to Sara which I gave to the stage manager....and then some guy brought over a dozen roses for Sara lol. Oh well.. Anyways, it was an awesome concert!

[QuoVadimus]

My first show was in the fall of 2001. They were playing an evening with show at a venue in the town where I now go to college. It was incredible, as always. Ten shows later, and they still blow me away.

[JeffLester]

Yeah, there's probably some old thread of this somewhere in the archives.

I first saw them Aug 1, 1998 at the John Anson Amphitheatre in L.A., part of a ''Bluegrass at the Ford'' night sandwiched between a couple more traditional bluegrass groups; the Cache Valley Drifters and somebody else whose name I have forgotten (Topanga Canyon something or others I think). I was mightly impressed and bought ''Here to There'' and Chris' ''Leading Off'' from the merch table.

[riversabine]

It was in August of 2003 in a really intimate venue in St. Louis called Mississippi Nights. My family had just gotten back from a road trip that day and I talked my sister, Colleen, who had introduced me to NC that spring, into going despite the exhaustion from traveling. I knew a handful of songs at that point, but I remember being amazed at their range. I particularly remember them playing Wilco's I Am Trying To Break Your Heart... which at the time I didn't know was a cover, but their performance of that song really struck me for whatever reason. So of course, seeing their energy and virtuosity for the first time, I was blown away and knew that I needed to move beyond being a casual listener. This was about a week before I was leaving to study abroad for a semester, so Colleen and I pooled our money together and bought a copy of This Side which I listened to constantly over the next four months. It was the perfect soundtrack... lol, anyway, that was the first live Nickel Creek experience and from that moment, I was completely hooked.

[Jimmie]

I first saw them in April of 1996 at Merlefest. They were interesting mostly because of their youth.

I had seen Chris Thile perform there in 1995, but he didn't bring the rest of the band until a year later. Chris was pretty amazing, even at 13 years of age. He was out there on the main stage jamming with the 'big guys' (Doc, Sam, Bela, Jerry, Grisman, Rowan, etc.)

The first time I saw them performing anything resembling their modern repertoire was at the Folk Alliance conference in February 2000. Sugar Hill handed me a copy of their first album that evening. As a result, I was one of the first DJs to get to put it on the air. (It came out officially about a month later.)

More about Merlefest in this thread, including an interesting photo and newspaper scan: http://www.nickelcreek.info/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5750

[firefly]

I almost got to see them but I didn't get to go. It would have been nice. I never wanted to go to a concert until I became a Nickel Creek fan. I don't like the idea of going to a concert that much, but I might go if it was to see Nickel Creek.

[liquidtenor]

Unfortunately, I've only seen NC twice. The first time was really great, almost magical. It was last year's show at the Uptown Theater in Kansas City. I've been to all kinds of concerts, mostly rock & country, for many years. This show was just so good and the audience was so in touch w/the group and visa versa. There was just great interaction the whole show and you could tell the band were having a really good night and were really enjoying the crowd. The 2nd time I saw them was in nearby Lawrence, KS. It was a whole different crowd and the venue was packed and hot and it was harder to hear and enjoy the band. It was more of a college crowd (KU) and, though some were pretty attentive, many others were loud and some had a little too much to drink..anyway, back to the first show. Not only did Chris react to a couple of things I shouted at the stage between songs and incorporate it into his 'standup comedy', what made it extra cool was getting to meet him and Sara after the show. I don't know if I've ever enjoyed a show as much.

[ThisSide]

*bump*

High Sierra Music Festival 2006

[3-Fan]

December 2000 in Columbus, OH. They opened for Amy Grant's Christmas Concert.

[mandoplayer15]

Mine was at the State Theater in 2004? or was it 2003?.....I dunno...but it was one hell of a show.

[Red Zep]

Georgia Theater in Athens, Georgia (yes, the only true Athens of the South) in 200...2? or 2003? I can't remember... I don't have a ticket stub b/c it was in a bar so there was a door charge.

BTW, I can't seem to find a setlist for this show. I remember them covering Beck's ''Where It's At'' and a Nirvana song (perhaps Lithium).

[oink42]

The Fleece in Bristol, England sometime in early 2002 (I think). It was the first gig they'd played in a few months and we were treated to what I believe were the debut performances of Jacksmith, Peaberry and Elliott.

[chickzilla]

Originally posted by Red Zep
Georgia Theater in Athens, Georgia (yes, the only true Athens of the South) in 200...2? or 2003? I can't remember... I don't have a ticket stub b/c it was in a bar so there was a door charge.

BTW, I can't seem to find a setlist for this show. I remember them covering Beck's ''Where It's At'' and a Nirvana song (perhaps Lithium).

I might be able to provide you with a partial set list, give me a few whiles to see if I can find it, and I'll let you know.
Wait, here it is, VERY partial but I was not taking ntoes yet back then...
Caleb Meyer
Where Its At?
She Can't Complain
They're Only Pictures (only time I have EVER heard this song)
Jacksmith

and out by the bus

Oh Atlanta
Katie Hill
Sweethearts on Parade

Mine was GA Theatre as well, Maybe that concert, maybe the one before it (nope yours was 2004, mine was 2003 based on when they played Beck)... I can't figure it out, but whatever. Again, an awesome show. I just remember that Chris talked about Schoenberg's 12-tone technique and I had JUST learned about that in Humanities the week before, and so he did something, and then said That was our tribute to Shoenberg and Sara said who? and at the exact same time and with the same inflection, Chris and I both said He invented the 12 Tone Technique
It freaked me out but that was when I KNEW I'd found concerts worth going to. ;)

[JeffLester]

Originally posted by oink42
The Fleece in Bristol, England sometime in early 2002 (I think). It was the first gig they'd played in a few months and we were treated to what I believe were the debut performances of Jacksmith, Peaberry and Elliott. Must have been 2003, they weren't playing Jacksmith in 2002.

[Red Zep]

Originally posted by chickzilla

Caleb Meyer
Where Its At?
She Can't Complain
They're Only Pictures (only time I have EVER heard this song)
Jacksmith

and out by the bus

Oh Atlanta
Katie Hill
Sweethearts on Parade

(nope yours was 2004, mine was 2003 based on when they played Beck)...

Yeah you're right. It was spring of '04 (April perhaps).... I was thinking of 2003 b/c I wanted to see them at the Variety Playhouse in the latter half of 2003, but couldn't make it. I remember the show at the GA Theater was $22. I didn't make it out to the bus b/c I had no idea they played after shows.

You can also add Sabra Girl to that list. That song stood out so well to me b/c I had never heard a band play without the mics on stage before. For a busy bar in Athens the crowd got pretty quiet... except for this one girl who was laughing. A LOT. She was drunk.

[chickzilla]

yeah i remember now, Beauty and the Mess as the first song they sang and Sara had a VERY scratchy voice to start with.
amazing what one can remember when one thinks dedicatedly about something. :)

[ThisSide]

Yeah...well said about the memory thing!

[mastermandolin]

My first show was the fall of 2001 at Harper College in Palatine, IL. I took my future wife (we were dating at the time) along to see them. I remember the weather really sucked. It was ial downpour and one of the bridges was flooded out.

But enough of that, this was the first year they did a MAS tour and it was very intimate and loved every second of it. It was also the first and last time I heard them do Rainbow Connection and have it on recording