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Starting in the early Seventies when I was in college... The Carpenters The Fifth Dimension and Paul Williams, who finally had been convinced by other artists to perform his own material Seals & Croft The Allman Brothers ~ This was sort of by default. It seemed I was the only girl at work who knew who they were; the rest kept responding, "The Osmond Brothers?!". *giggle* Since he knew my parents, we figured it was OK for me to head for Chicago with a guy I barely knew. When I was confused about the "ground fog", he grinned and asked, "Are you SURE you went to college?" I said that, of course, I had gone more than two years (dropping out to make more money to finish). He informed me what it was. It smells awful~sickening sweet! We were in the balcony, far above the "fog", but, what with the stink, the bright lights and the close proximity to amps, I ended up with one of the worst migraine headaches I'd ever had. I doubt that I was the date he had expected, but he was very gentlemanly and thoughtful. I know: What a fuddy duddy I am! BUT, that doesn't mean I'm not a rocker! TAB were AMAZING, particularly "Whipping Post", which went on for so long that the intensity was almost overwhelming. I swear it lasted at least a half hour, and I've read that they did this lengthy performance often in that time period. BTW: I passed on the bottle of wine being handed around, and he just smiled at me and did the same. Awwww... Three Dog Night ~ They were having problems about that time and ran very late, a habit they were being accused of (like Sly of The Family Stone, a group my sister saw in concert though she knew beforehand there was a chance they wouldn't show up). When the concert finally started, the crowd was not pleased. The group played several songs to an absolutely silent audience but slowly began winning us over, succeeding by the time they got to "The Show Must Go On". I still have some decent photographs from this one, the first time I had my own camera. James Taylor ~ It was supposed to be Carly Simon & James Taylor, with her being the big draw (except to me, my sister and her friend). Apparently, the rumors were true that they had separated in Chicago. When the announcement was made that she wouldn't be appearing, it seemed that up to half of the audience left. We three took the opportunity to move up close to the stage, into vacated seats, which they were allowing. He was wonderful, and I didn't miss her at all! Actually, when he first carried two stools on stage then the microphone then a tape recorder, which he set on one of the stools, we thought maybe this very casually dressed fellow was a roadie~till he emerged with a guitar and sat on the other stool. Yep! He was that average-looking, not much like his album covers. He did the cutest bits with his own recorded voice, including "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and "Mockingbird" (their hit). He said that he liked being in a region that would understand a song he wanted to perform: "Country Roads". As the city is very near a rural area, we did indeed understand that song better than the Chicagoans. It felt so comfortable and informal, one of the most relaxed concerts I've attended. Fleetwood Mac ~ This was their "Tusk" tour, and I'd heard they were having trouble with sales. I hadn't heard the song yet, so you might be able to imagine how phenomenal it was to hear this low pounding building in intensity before erupting! I had never been much of a fan of the group though I liked their hits, so this really opened my eyes and ears to what they were capable of. I just checked sources and found out this about "Tusk": Costing more than $1 million to record, it was the most expensive rock album made up to that point. So, a lot was riding on each performance. The Fixx ~ I was way up on the bleachers of the EIU auditorium and had a great view of the effects-filled show. I still love "Saved by Zero" and "Stand or Fall". They did not disappoint; in fact, they were far better than I expected them to be live. Nelson and House of Lords ~ Even with sound system troubles, the groups had no trouble making themselves heard. The theater was an old-fashioned style, very lush, with velvet and lots of gold roping, a wonderful setting that, again, felt almost intimate. I must say that we were awfully nervous in that part of the city, as a man had been knifed to death while standing in line at that theater about a week before. They said he bumped into a man and apologized before turning back to his friends; those around them were stunned to see the other man draw a knife and stab him. We were grateful that it was uneventful for us, as we almost canceled going. I hadn't heard House of Lords before this and instantly became a fan. Extreme, Cinderella and David Lee Roth ~ My friend had won tickets for front-row seats through the Cinderella fan club, and we got to go backstage to meet them, a very sweet and tiny bunch of guys. We really didn't mind missing Roth. You could tell when he was scheduled to go on stage because dozens of bimbettes showed up and pushed their way to the front of the stage, posing and practicing their flirting as Cinderella closed their act. We could see backstage, and the guys from Extreme were obviously making fun of the groupies. By the way, Extreme was brilliant, and Nuno Bettencourt played a set, going from instrument to instrument, that was one of the most astonishing performances I ever witnessed. Oh! When it was David Lee Roth's turn to take over the room where fans were talking to Cinderella, we obediently walked out into the courtyard~only to be followed by the guys! They said that they were having too much fun chatting with us and posing for pictures with us. It obviously tickled them that we'd managed to smuggle in forbidden cameras. It was one time I was grateful for something I consider my curse because I was able to smuggle in a 35mm camera undetected, and we got some great pictures. *giggle* I wore a pewter dragon collar-necklace in hopes that, if they swept me and the alarm sounded, I could say it was reacting to my necklace. Luckily, they didn't do any sweeps for this outdoor-arena concert, so I didn't have to worry about it. I'm usually by-the-rules, but I guess that could be my bad girl moment. *snicker* Nelson, Cinderella and The Lynch Mob ~ I was stunned by how poorly TLM performed; people were leaving in the proverbial droves to go for refreshments/souvenirs or just heading for the gates. I was prepared to be dazzled by Lynch, but it didn't happen. The other two were great! One thing: It turned out that I was coming down with the flu and started running a high fever. The crowd stood up all around me, so I could only listen, which wasn't so bad. Guns N' Roses and Skid Row (second concert of the Use Your Illusion tour) ~ Skid Row, fronted by Sebastian Bach, played a full set at GNR's encouragement. Then, there was a delay~a rather lengthy one~and people were claiming that Axl wasn't going to go on. When he showed up, he took the time to explain that authorities had stopped them, saying that they had to play a short set and be finished by a ridiculously early time. It was a weeknight, and they claimed that groups weren't allowed to play past a certain time because it would disturb people in the area. This was an outdoor arena in the countryside of Indiana! Who were they going to disturb?! They told Axl that there would be a $5,000 fine if they went past the time. Axl told us that he was willing to pay the fine in order to perform a full concert. I can't recall how late, but it was the wee hours of the morning before we were out of there. THAT is the greatest concert I've EVER attended! Many of us sat on blankets up on the hillside, from where we could see the stage and watch closeups on the huge screens that had been set up. Poison and Warrant ~ Poison especially surprised me with their skills, as I had expected they wouldn't sound that great in person. Warrant was terrific, too. Thank goodness a friend had brought ear plugs because we were around some teenybopper types who kept shrieking. With the plugs in, we actually could hear the groups so much better, as the piercing shrieks were pretty much blocked. Surprisingly, that was one of the very few times in a concert that I encountered screaming girls. Kiss, Ted Nugent and Skid Row (minus Sebastian Bach={) ~ Skid Row was not at all the same group; they had to do new arrangements because the lead couldn't hit any of the notes "Bas" could. Ted Nugent was the standout in that concert! I felt as if, when I closed my eyes, I was being transported back in time, and he was completely mesmerizing as he did extended versions of some of his hits. He "owned" that concert! (The "p" version doesn't make sense to me!) Then, it was Kiss's turn, and I was really disappointed. They had it cranked so high that it was just a big, buzzy blur, with few distinguishable words, just a heavy reliance on pyrotechnics. I'd had to pass up a Kiss concert before, and I realized I didn't miss much. The audience was going nuts, but I sat there completely unimpressed. Oh well... The concert was a treat from my friends, so I couldn't complain, not after Nugent's performance.
We were going to attend a Kiss/Slaughter/Faster Pussycat concert. However, Faster Pussycat had that trouble in Texas, which actually turned out to be the fault of the police who had caused fighting to start when they halted the concert because they thought there was going to be trouble! The guys weren't allowed to take part in the concert in Indiana. When we learned they wouldn't be there, we promptly sold our tickets and headed for Headstone Friends and the mall. Many other people also were selling their tickets~no scalping, just dumping for the going price. I wouldn't have minded seeing Slaughter, but I wanted to go because of Taime and the guys. By the time they were exonerated, it was too late.
I don't think I've forgotten anyone. I didn't get to nearly as many as I would have liked to have attended, mainly for financial reasons. The one I regret missing most was in the early Seventies. The Who were going to perform "Tommy" in Chicago! I recall plotting how to get there with a friend from college who introduced me to "Tommy". No matter how we figured it, we knew we'd never be able to make the trip there and back in my battered old car, which my dad managed to keep running as I commuted two years to junior college then my first year at EIU. It was a nice dream though for two not-very-adventurous girls.
I'm guessing I've been to almost 200 concerts...big and small. I prefer small. Loudest was Motorhead
L.A. Guns - the band I have seen the most times in one incarnation or another. Probably 20 times total.
Motley Crue- Carnival of Sins tour
Soundgarden - 1989 at a great little venue in Lawrence, KS called the Bottleneck
Guns n Roses/Aerosmith - the first big tour to GnR in 87 or 88 I believe
Social Distortion - At Red Rocks in Denver - close to the best show I've ever seen.
Love/Hate - my favorite band and singer but have only been able to see them once.
Warrant - saw them a few times at the Buffalo Rose in Golden, co and on a rock never stops tour.
Quiet Riot - a couple of times in Denver
Cinderella - St. Joe Missouri on rock never stops tour amazing band
Ratt - Several times in Colorado(mostly Stephen Pearcy solo band). A few times the package tours.
Poison - A few times on the big summer tours in the 90's and early 2000's. Not a huge fan but great live.
Tesla - only once in Oklahoma city....pretty good.
Jackyl - a few times always a good show. They play in Kansas City a lot.
Flotsam & Jetsom - buffalo rose in Golden CO
Motorhead - a couple of times. If you can see them do it.
Offspring - saw them with Social D. and was really impressed.
Bang Tango - a couple of times another fun 80's band you can still go out an see to this day.
Bulletboys - only once and maybe only 30 people but one of the funnest shows I've been to.
Great White - a couple of times on the rock never stops tours
Sammy Hagar - oddly disappointing....I rarely think that at any live show.
Marilyn Manson and Clutch - saw them on my wedding night at a small venue. My wife is pretty cool.
Tons more local bands/hair bands/hard rock bands...always great to see live music.
Edit: to add Fugazi in a cinder block building in the middle of a cornfield called the outhouse in Lawrence, KS......amazing.
Oh my god, hundreds and hundreds if you count gigs and bar bands! And countless major venues.
Back in the 1970s I lived in Scotland and a good friend was a lighting guy and got us into many shows for free at the Apollo. Glasgow Apollo / Home
Pink Floyd (twice.)
Stones. (three times.)
Hot Tuna.
Lynyrd Skynyrd (twice.)
George Thorogood (maybe 15 times.)
Devo.
Deep Purple.
Lindisfarne.
The Stranglers.
David Bowie.
Bob Seger (three times.)
Alice Cooper (twice.)
Canned Heat, at least twice.
Phish.
Grateful Dead.
Buddy Guy (several times.)
Timbuk3.
Willie Nelson.
Mojo Nixon.
The Who (two or three times.)
Tina Turner.
Motley Crue.
Black Sabbath.
Alice Cooper (at least twice.)
The Police (Twice.)
ZZ Top (at least three times.)
Eddie Winter.
Doobie Brothers (twice.)
Ramones.
New York Dolls.
Allman Bros.
Incubus.
Great White.
Steve Earle.
Jethro Tull.
Steeleye Span.
Little Feat.
BB King.
X-Ray Specs.
Nirvana.
The Pixies.
The Rounders.
Gogol Bordella.
The Clash.
Roxy Music.
Hootie and the Blowfish.
Allman Brothers.
Marshall Tucker Band.
Gary Glitter.
Jonny Lang.
Third World.
Bob Marley.
Runrig.
10cc.
Incubus.
I'm sure I'm forgetting a few, but here's what's coming to mind.
As a kid:
Sharon, Lois and Bram
High School:
Grateful Dead
Zapp
James Taylor
Third Eye Blind
Neville Brothers and Dr. John
Beausoleil and Dirty Dozen
Todd Rundgren
College:
Rolling Stones
The Who
They Might Be Giants
U2
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Paul McCartney
Beck and Flaming Lips
Flaming Lips
Glenn Tilbrook (of Squeeze)
White Stripes
Post-College 20's:
Coldplay
Strokes
Donovan
Steve Hackett
Lucinda Williams
Robert Pollard
Tori Amos (3 times)
Vienna Teng (2 times)
Bob Dylan
Joanna Newsom
Neko Case
Josh Ritter and the Swell Season
Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers
Dervish
Smithereens
Anthony and the Johnsons
Les Claypool
Todd Rundgren
Devo
30's:
The National and Yo La Tengo
Richard Thompson
Ray Manzarek and Roy Rogers
Kiss (it was free!)
Better than Ezra
Steve Martin (his bluegrass band)
Lisa Hannigan and Joe Henry
____
Most spectacularly bad show: the first Tori one. She had this metallic guitar player that drowned everything out, plus she kept reappearing in different costumes with different personalities. God, the things we do for our girlfriends.
Best? Hey, first is often best, and that Dead show was a great time for my 13-year-old self.
Last edited by averysgore; 06-04-2013 at 11:39 PM..
My first ever concert was AC/DC with Queensryche as the opening band in 1986 or so. Also:
Gun 'n Roses
Poison
Warrant
Europe
Tesla
Bullet Boys
Whitesnake
White Lion
Great White
Bon Jovi
Skid Row
Pink Floyd
Rolling Stones (Best concert ever! Saw them twice at Soldier Field in Chicago. I was never a huge fan, but these concerts blew me away!)
Lenny Kravitz
Bruce Springsteen (Saw him twice and both shows were the most disappointing concerts I've ever attended.)
Winger
Neil Diamond (Strangely enough, this was the second best concert I've ever seen.)
Metallica
The Cult
Wow, this is bringing back so many amazing memories! There are more bands, but I can't think of them right now.
I don't know how many this is going to be, but I'll take a few minutes and try to remember as much as I can.
AC/DC
Rush
Van Halen
Allman Bros.
BB King
Buddy Guy
Pixies
Breeders
Patti Smith
Jane's Addiction
Living Colour
Sonic Youth
Nirvana
Eric Clapton
Jack Bruce & Ginger Baker
Gang of Four
Wilco
Joe Jackson
King Crimson
Grateful Dead
Phish
Widespread Panic
Elvis Costello
Neil Young
Lucinda Williams
Kool & the Gang
Booker T. & the MGs
Santana
Bob Dylan
Pharoah Sanders
Dizzy Gillespie w/ Max Roach & M'Boom
The Who
Ray Davies
John McLaughlin
Eric Johnson
Joe Satriani
Primus
X
Television
Strokes
Kings of Leon
Richard Thompson
Ace Frehley
Guided By Voices
Pink Floyd
Universal Congress Of
Polvo
Firehose
Belly
Lemonheads
Juliana Hatfield
Walt Mink
Poster Children
Sam Rivers
ICP Orchestra
Rolling Stones
Nels Cline Singers
James Brown
Al Green
Redd Kross
Paul McCartney
Ringo Starr
Tom Petty
Beck
Flaming Lips
Big Star
George Clinton/P-Funk All Stars
Shakti
Modern Jazz Quartet
Bobby Hutcherson
Geraldine Fibbers
Ratt
Beastie Boys
David Bowie
Hot Tuna
New Riders of the Purple Sage
Fiona Apple
Deerhunter
Violent Femmes
June Carter Cash (Johhny Cash came out for a couple tunes)
John Wesley Harding
Wesley Willis
Medeski Martin & Wood
Ty Segall
Thee Oh Sees
Dungen
Unrest
Superchunk
The Glands
Yo La Tengo
Black Crowes
Dr. John
Fabulous Thunderbirds
Butthole Surfers
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Nine Inch Nails
Ronnie Dawson
Pavement
Rollins Band
Fugazi
Shudder to Think
Fishbone
Jethro Tull
Yes
Motley Crue
Little Feat
NRBQ
Willie Nelson
Dwight Yoakum
Blues Traveler
Meat Puppets
Stone Temple Pilots
Deee Lite
Dread Zeppelin
Urban Dance Squad
Stray Cats
Camper Van Beethoven
Cracker
Unwound
St. Vincent
Wild Flag
Hospitality
George Benson
Jerry Lee Lewis
Link Wray
B52s
Pretenders
loads and loads of local Atlanta bands.
Last edited by JPD; 06-06-2013 at 12:49 PM..
Reason: I keep rememberign more, but still nowhere close to complete.
I haven't seen too many different bands/musicians, but I did see Bob Mould and Mission of Burma in different venues (9:30 Club and The Black Cat respectively in Washington, DC) on the same night last year (9/8/12).
I saw Dinosaur Jr. back in 2009 and they were ridiculously loud. My ears recovered but it took awhile.
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