Suburbs Memories

Starfire Dec 09, 2009 10 Comments

If anyone has fun memories of going to a Suburbs show especially in Duluth please post them in the comments. I want to read them on my radio show today between sets of awesome Suburbs music.

R.I.P. Bruce Allen.

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History, Music, R.I.P.

10 Comments

Bill Meier

about 15 years ago 

Back in 1985?  I bought three sets of tickets to see The Suburbs at the Norshore theater.  One hour before the show my friends Josh Udeson and Ben Warner chickened out and I was left to go to the show all by myself.  So I combed my long New Wave hair down firmly in my eyes and threw on my black wool trenchcoat and headed down to the show. My sister Kelly said that if I found her friend Gia Milinavich I could hang out with her during the show.  Before the show I picked up a pack Djarimn clove cigarets at the Last Place on Earth, which was located where the Antiques store currently is.  Off to the show!
In those days the Norshore still had the balcony open and the ticket booth was located between the two sets of glass front doors.  Besides concerts, the Norshore had a monthly calender of movies that featured four or five different flicks every week!  Anyhooo...for the Suburbs show, the underage were put up in the balcony, while the rest filled the main floor.  I seem to remember a local band opening up the show YRU?... can't quite remember.  When the Suburbs started the place went crazy and I still can feel the floor of the balcony bouncing in time to Rattle My Bones.  Another image I remember is the powerfull uplight that was pointing up under the snare drum casting a shadow on the ceiling of the old theater.  That was mt first bug rock show, and was hooked

Swan

about 15 years ago 

The Suburbs were MY band in high school and played "In Combo" and "Credit in Heaven" over and over and still own them on vinyl. I saw them more than 20 times in Duluth, Minneapolis and beyond. 

Their music and live shows were godsends at a time dominated by terrible radio and arena rock bands. Molly Hatchet and 38 Special at the Duluth Arena or go see underground music at a small venue? I broke free from my peers and stage-dived head first into the underground music scene. Through them I went on to other Minnesota bands, Replacements, Soul Asylum et al.

They were great guys, wrote great weird songs and put on fantastic shows were people actually DANCED their asses off. High energy.

The Norshor was the best venue to see them but I also remember seeing them at Mr. Pete's, Kirby Ballroom, St. Scholastica, the Cove, Warehouse Bar and ?

Bruce Allen I believe designed the ubiquitous Suburbs logo. I wore my t-shirt to threads and I saw someone on the streets of Mexico circa 1982 wearing a 'Burbs t-shirt.

I regret never seeing their reunion shows at First Ave.

Bruce has much Credit in Heaven in my book. Godspeed.

Bret

about 15 years ago 

I recall a show at Roy Wilkons Auditorium in St. Paul at which a women "stage dived" off the upper tier and landed on a bunch of metal folding chairs on the cement floor below.  She got up and kept going, but I bet it hurt like hell the next morning.

In Stillwater, the 'Burbs wore large distinctly shaped foam hats.  A person nearby asked "why are they wearing mushrooms on their heads?"  The reply: "Um, those aren't mushrooms."

lojasmo

about 15 years ago 

We got the band to play a gig at Central high school (1985??)

We were the point guys, and they had us get them all kinds of crazy shit for the green room.

It was a good show, but I was hella stoned, and can't remember the playlist.

Lord Phosphorus

about 15 years ago 

Halloween 1982: Tripping balls on Green Pyramid with my lady at the Showcase to the Suburbs. WHOAAAAA!!!

vicarious

about 15 years ago 

They played my a dance at my high school in 1983. No kidding. I wasn't there (too young) but my sister was.

Mattson

about 15 years ago 

In 86 I saw the Suburbs at the Cove Cabaret in Superior with my buddy Jack. The legal drinking age was 19 then but had just changed to 21 that year. We were "grandfathered in," so we were allowed, at least we thought we were. Jack's birthday was September 1, and in Wisconsin, the "grandfather clause" cutoff date was August 31 (Minnesota Sept.1) so they wouldn't let Jack in. By ONE DAY! Well, we weren't going to let that crap prevail so we went behind the club where NIMROD was parked (the Suburbs' bus was destined to NIMROD) and Bruce Allen came bolting out of the bus towards the club. We said, "Hey BRUCE! Get us IN!" He stopped and listened to us for about 10 seconds, shook his hair out of his face then said, "This way.." and he led us backstage. Simple as that, not only were we in, we were IN!! A great night followed. I miss the days when people would dance their asses off at shows. God love ya, Bruce! Credit in Heaven indeed..

lojasmo

about 15 years ago 

Where did your sister go to HS, Vicarious?

vicarious

about 15 years ago 

Mounds View H.S. in Arden Hills.

Bob

about 15 years ago 

They played at my homecoming dance at Eden Prairie High School. Fall 1986. I was very very stoned and enjoyed listening to the Beejtar.

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