As we prepare for KISS this summer to hit Kennewick, it has me thinking. How many people will see KISS for the first time ever? How many people have waited their whole lives for this? I bet there's a ton of people dying to see their favorite band live for the first time.

So I put pen to paper and tried to re-live the best shows I've ever had the pleasure to be at.

  • Nicholas Hunt
    Nicholas Hunt
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    1

    Billy Joel @ Safeco Field

    May 20, 2016

    This was one of my bucket list items. I HAD to see the Piano Man. He did NOT disappoint. It was the best show I've ever seen, and I've seen my favorite band live. He played 29 songs with a 5 song encore. He played everything you'd want to hear at a Billy Joel show. He even had his roadie front the band while they played "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC. Also included were snippets from Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Elton John.

    When the sun went down, with the stadium roof open - I'd watch the city lights when he played slower songs like "And So it Goes" and "She's Always a Woman." It was a beautiful, beautiful memory!

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    2

    Rise Against @ Shobox Sodo

    August 7, 2015

    There's no feeling quite like seeing your favorite band live. I'd bought all the albums, the shirts, the sweet special edition PETA vans. But I finally got to see Rise Against live for the first time in Seattle. They brought Killswitch Engage along for the ride and it was all you could ask for. Adrenaline filled the air as the band screamed life back into the crowd.

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    Noah Gundersen

    Boise 2014, Portland 2015

    I've seen Noah Gundersen live twice now. I've always said that outside of Noah Gundersen, I never need to see another show again. I have all of this guys albums. He's got the angst my heart fuels on and it's absolutely incredible when this Washington native brings it live.

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    4

    Red Jumpsuit Apparatus @ Rock Reactor

    July 22, 2011

    This was back in 2011 when the Rock Reactor was open in Downtown Kennewick. I was in radio broadcasting school at Tri-Tech.

    I was stoked about this because it was my first real interview with a band. The band let me hang around for a couple hours before they played and I got to be on the guest list!

    It was an absolute blast getting to hang out with these guys and see the show live.

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    5

    Linkin Park / 30 Seconds to Mars / AFI @ The Gorge

    September 13, 2014

    This one makes the list because I knew all the bands on the bill. From opener to headliner, I KNEW EVERYONE.

    My brother and I loved Linkin Park and it was his first REAL rock and roll show.

    Jared Leto absolutely stole the show with 30 Seconds to Mars.

    Check out this video of them performing the song "The Kill" live, you can hear him to tell me to slow down because I was singing ahead very loudly. That's at around 40 seconds in.

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