If I only could remember them all... the years mentioned as good as I can remember...
The most significant were the Stones in 1976 (my first concert ever at 15 yrs).
I saw them again in 1981 and in 1998, I believe the last time.
1977 were Journey, Santana, and Frank Zappa. Followed by Jethro Tull.
1978 were Yes and Jethro Tull. (The Tull I saw 5 or 6 times over the years).
Some great Jazz concerts in the late 70s were with Charlie Mariano, Jasper Van't Hof, Eberhard Weber, Joachim Kuhn, Volker Kriegel, Bill Ramsay's Brummkreisel...
1981 first time I saw peter Gabriel (also in 1998, and in 2003). - Dennis Bovell with Linton Kwesi Johnson.
1983 to 1985 Uriah Heep. - Dennis Brown w. Aswad. - Sly & Robbie w. Taxi Gang. - Black Uhuru. - Peter Tosh on his last tour, Mama Africa, y'know that tune Johnny B' Goode...
1991 Robert Fripp & The League of Crafty Guitarists w. Adrian Belew. - Toots & the Maytals. - Oingo Boingo. - The Allman Brothers Band.
1992 Eric Clapton - Gary Moore - Canned Heat.
1993 Maceo Parker & The J.B. Horns. - John Mayall's Bluesbreakers.
1995 Marcus Miller.
...
2003 Mother's Finest.
2005 Simple Minds.
...
Gosh, that's a lot I really had to think hard for. As the years and decades fly by, things keep waning in their importance. What's gone is gone and I do not give a damn, but try to keep ridin' the wave with the great support of Radio Paradise!
What's coming to my mind now is a list of concerts we would have loved to attend, but could never make it. This one's much easier (not only for old timers) I think.
For me, these would be:
First and foremost,
The Grateful Dead.
Miles Davis.
Pink Floyd.
Steven Wilson.
Oregon.
Ralph Towner.
Jan Garbarek.
Bob Marley.
Funkadelic.
Parliament.
Bette Davis.
T. Rex.
Golden Earring.
David Bowie.
I'm 65 also and I've seen more shows than I can remember. Here is list of memorable concerts:
1. The Clash - 1979 & 1980 in Philadelphia, 1981 in NYC, 1982 in Houston TX
The NYC Bonds Casino show in 81 was the highlight. Times Square was a madhouse. Clash shows
were staggering. A sonic attack unlike anything I experienced before or since.
2. Neville Brothers - 1989, Philadelphia (Ed Bradley of 60 Minutes on Cow Bell)
This was an outdoor show on a summer night on the Delaware River. Magical
3. Joe Ely Band w/ The Blasters opening, Houston TX 1982
Fever pitch doesn't begin to describe this sweltering night in a tiny club
4. Dead Kennedys - Houston TX 1982
Jello Biafra was in rare form that night
5. Renaissance w/ Return To Forever opening, Philadelphia 1978
Annie Haslam was a vision. The RTF guys could play
6. Chick Corea & Herbie Hancock Solo Piano - Philadelphia 1977
Transcendent playing
7. Sonny Rollins Quartet - Houston TX 1982
This was staged in a Houston Art Museum. He owned the sax.
8. U2 - Houston TX 1982
This show had maybe 20 people in a small club. U2 played the theme song to the TV show The Monkees. No, seriously. They did.
9. Traffic - 1980 The Spectrum, Philadephia
I may have hallucinated. Traffic was like that.
10. Earth Wind & Fire w/ The Commodores opening - The Spectrum, Philadelphia 1978
We want the funk!
11. The Pretenders (original lineup) 1980, Cherry Hill, NJ
I was jammed in down front and Chrissy Hynde got her sweat on me. Fell in love.
12. Killing Joke - Houston TX 1983
This was a frightening band.
13. Black Flag (with Henry Rollins) - Houston TX 1983
I may have passed out. It was this little warehouse club, The Island, and I awoke in the back on a ratty couch.
14. X - Houston TX 1983
The guitar player was awesome.
15. Yes - Spectrum Philadelphia 1974
Heart of the Sunrise, indeed.
16. Horace Silver Quartet - Wilmington DE 1977
Horace was the coolest man ever.
17. Humble Pie - Farewell Tour, w/ Peter Frampton opening, The Spectrum Philadelphia 1975
Steve Marriott - little man with a big voice.
18. Wilco - Five times in Memphis, TN. All with Big Star drummer Jody Stephens sitting in for a song.
19. Sonic Youth - Memphis 1998
Amps turned up to 11.
Apart from a few bands... and a few I don't know, it seems we have the same taste in music. :) The first concert I ever went to, was The Yardbirds, in 1967.
Oh, and The Who played in a very small club in Copenhagen in 1966 or 1967 - and I was also there when Deep Purple played in another small club in 1970.
I didn't go to that many concerts since tickets were so expensive and I didn't always have a job, but Pink Floyd in 1973 stands out! I was lucky to be in London in 1969 where I saw The Stones in Hyde Park, and Blind Faith that same summer. To one of the concerts, Richie Havens also performed. Fleetwood Mac played one evening at Hampsted Heath. Great times! :D
I'm 65 so, I've seen a LOT of concerts. Here's a quick list of the top 20:
1:Grand Funk railroad 2:Johnny Winter - 2 times 3:Santana- 4 times 4:Jethro Tull- 2 times 5:Alice Cooper-Welcome to my nightmare. 6:Led Zeppelin-Staiway to heaven 7:The WHO 8:Frankie goes to Hollywood 9:Depeche Mode 10:Phil Collins 11:PINK FLOYD - 4 shows 12:David Bowie- 2 times 13:Elton John - 3 times 14:Dire Straight 15:Bryan Ferry-Roxy Music- 3 times. 16:Eric Clapton - 2 times 17:Franck Zappa - 2 times 18:ZZ Top 19:Hearth 20:SuperTramp ** Manseau Festival Special mantion to : Eurythmics, ABBA , BlackSabbath, Bruce Springsteen, Men at work, The Cure, Duran Duran, Guns N'Roses AC/DC, Queen, Journey, The Smiths, A Flock of Seagulls, Thompson Twins, Deep purple, Moody Blues, Bronski Beat,Joe Cocker and about 12 more ! Sorry for those I forgot about, I was too stone.
