Before we moved to Illinois, I had tickets to see the White Stripes in Indianapolis, but something came up (our move maybe??) and we weren't going to be able to make it. I sold those tickets for twice what I paid for them on ebay. But it always struck me as slightly risky to buy tickets on ebay. Not to mention you have to know your way around the scalping laws in your state (it's legal to scalp tickets in Indiana).

I just found out there's now a website that handles ticket brokering for you—seatexchange.com. No more buying tickets from that seedy-looking guy in the parking lot! You can buy or sell concert tickets, sports tickets, and museum tickets. I'm not sure what their cut is when you sell, but the prices seem very reasonable. That was always a problem in Indiana–scalpers would buy up tickets, meaning events sold out very quickly and you then had to pay astronomical prices to get into highly desirable events.

I'm less interested in sports tickets, but Adam does like to see the Yankees if they play in Chicago, and those tickets seem to go fast. Seat Exchange guarantees the transaction, so you don't have some of the worries of buying from a place like ebay or that kid with the backwards baseball cap in the parking garage.

I'm guessing I'm probably done with big arena shows; I'm too old and grumpy to deal with pot smoke, headbanging, and the general silliness that accompanies such things. As the bug gets older, though, I'm sure I'll consider checking out shows at smaller venues in Chicago. Though I'm guessing my next big-ticket show will probably be Blue's Clues on Ice or somesuch nonsense. I do look forward to being the old couple in the corner table in the hipster club.

I haven't been to too many concerts. My first one, I think, was at Deer Creek (now the Verizon Center or something silly like that). I saw INXS in Paris, though ~ that just rocked!!! It was an outdoor concert. Haven't taken the kids to one of those kids' concerts (like Dora) yet. They look kind of scary, and I think that I'd want to scratch my eyes out after a while. LOL! :)

I think the last show I saw was Bim Skala Bim back in like 1999. Before that was Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds the year before. I miss going to shows :-(

The last show I saw was with Adam and Kahlil at the TAZ in bingo to see Brother Meat. Say what you will about Da Brotha, they put on a fun show. I do remember standing very close to the speakers, and my ears seriously rang for days if not weeks; very stupid. It was also kind of the Brotha's farewell appearance, because he had this whole schpeel about getting a respectable job, and tearing off his tie to throw that Motha down or some such. But anyway, he and Capt. Whitey rocked hard that night. Since then, I've only been compelled once to see another band, and that was this past summer when Van Halen blew through town. Even though I could finally afford a concert, and I actually have a friend willing to go (which is harder still to come by I realize), I still didn't feel it was worth it; bunch of geriatric rockers surrounded by their hideous aged groupies...blech.

and oh, I don't miss concerts at all now that I'm a parent (and old).

Well, B, maybe if you liked decent music, concert-going would have more appeal ;)

And yes, Lisanne, I'm right there with you scratching my eyes out at the mere thought of Elmo on Ice.

Like I said, I'm definitely not up for any more arena rock shows in my old age but something like Mike Doughty in a small club or something could work. Adam got to do that in Chicago with a friend when I was still a teary, gelatinous postpartum heap of sleep and serotonin deprivation. I'm kinda sorry I missed it, but there was no way.