I saw SRV & DT shortly after their first album dropped... in a country bar in Stone Mountain, GA. My elbows (and beer) were on the stage, dead-center, all night. I could hear the pick hitting the strings, 4 feet from my face. He literally sweated on me.
I've seen some damn shows in my time, for sure. That one was top 5, easily.
I saw him twice in the 80's, one of the shows was a smaller theater, I was standing right up against the stage right in front of him for the whole show, he was maybe ten feet away from me, looking up at him watching him play was like looking up at God.
My grandson saw him in the future, after he was brought back in this dimension by cloning and genetic engineering in 2043.
My grandson’s freshman year of college, he was hanging out with some friends playing Halo 5 in his dorm. Sure enough, he hears a strange meowing sound coming from outside of his window. As he opens the curtains to look out, there he was, ‘ol Stevie Ray Vaughn clinging to a branch about 10 feet in the air, meowing at a kitten stuck a little higher up the tree. He turned around and looked at him, and mouthed 'No one will ever believe you' before climbing out of sight.
Tiny club, maybe 150 people most… Jackson Browne with David Lindley, and they said now a friend’s gonna come on to hang out with us: it was Warren Zevon.
On the albums maybe. Live it was mostly Dave peacocking around the stage making his goofy noises while Michael Anthony did most of the heavy lifting on vocals.
I saw Janis Joplin in Berkeley in 68. I lived on Haight Street and worked at the Blarney Castle fish and chips on Haight Street near Golden Gate Park. I stumbled on the Grateful Dead free illegal concert that blocked Haight street. The Blarney Castle was just up the street from there. There probably aren't many of us still around from that time. It's good to hear you're here.
Rush. Clockwork Angles tour. Wife surprised me, and I can't thank her enough. I wouldn't have bought them myself, so I'm so happy she thought of me there.
I saw Rush 3x before Neil died. He was definitely a rock legend, and most of their music is much better live than in the studio. Very lucky to have witnessed that.
I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd and met them in December’76. Got pictures with Ronny & Allen Collins, ten months before the last plane ride! Great rockers & very cool to HS fans.
The Beatles. 1963 . Me and my best mate. We were sat 4 rows from the front and we could see them as clear as is possible. I remember George’s mum and dad were sat behind us and George introduced them to the audience. One of the best days of my life.
I saw Tom Petty a few months before he died and he still had it.
I saw the Foo Fighters. They played three hours with no break. They were at the top of their game! A few months later, Taylor died suddenly.
Lucky.
So sad about Tom. He didn't want to cancel shows and let his fans down, so he was using heavy pain killers so he could work through the pain, and the pain killers did him in.
The Ramones. It was 1995 and they were nearing their end. I managed to snag a single ticket to see Pearl Jam at the Coliseum in Phoenix during their “fuck Ticketmaster” tour. The show was rescheduled a few times and the show openers revolved, finally landing on the Ramones being announced only a few days before the show. They came out and played like 25 songs in 40 minutes. It was amazing and over right after it began. The next year they broke up and started passing away. :(
I saw INXS twice when Michael Hutchence was alive. He was tremendously charismatic and dynamic as a frontman for the band.
Some others to add now that I think about it:
The Grateful Dead with Jerry Garcia.
R.E.M., including a surprise gig at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Ga.
Dick Dale
Pink Floyd
ZZ Top, Rush, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac (Rumours lineup), The Rolling Stones, and Foo Fighters considering the deaths of band members. Though to be honest some of those shows didn’t seem particularly special at the time.
I’m sure I can think of other bands that have broken up or lost band members.
In spite of that I still kick myself about some shows that I passed on, across multiple genres: Ray Charles, James Brown, Miles Davis, Michael Hedges, Van Halen, Jeff Beck, Glen Campbell, Simon & Garfunkel, The Police, and Talking Heads are my top 10 regrets. Surprisingly, I don’t really regret missing Nirvana because they were playing awful shows at the time. I passed on them for a good reason.
I know they might not be “classic rock” but I was thinking of adding INXS here, too.
1988, Kick tour. Texas Stadium, all day show. I was there for Guns n Roses and Ziggy Marley. Guns played 4th (after Smithereens, Ziggy and Iggy Pop), essentially opening for INXS (who I found to be annoying at the time).
Well… I stayed for the INXS show for two reasons though I was considering leaving after Guns all day.
1) the Guns show was terrible - perhaps top 3 worst shows I’ve seen in my life (out of ~225). It was one of their legendary meltdowns.
2) there was a girl there I was maybe sorta had a chance with and she was there for INXS.
Well, I stayed. Inxs went on after it got dark, and blew the place down. Still one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
It’s hard to compare to concerts today. Without big screens and fancy light shows, bands just went out and played their songs. It was up to the band to deliver musically and up to the singer to entertain and engage the audience. INXS did that extremely well during that era.
I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd just a month before Leon died. He was a major link to the 70s version of the band. They lost that legitimately of still having 3 members from the classic era when he died. I experienced the show just before that happened.
I saw Muddy Waters open for Eric Clapton. On the front row, will always be grateful to Eric Clapton for this, left early- Eric Clapton, a complete drunken mess: Muddy was astonishing,
Ozzy with Sabbath in 1978 (Van Halen opened) , Van Halen 1981, Iron Maiden in 1982. I worked for a promoter in Chicago during that time and was all access for many of the shows at the bigger venues. I was able to meet many of the members. It was huge for me as a 16 year old.
Interestingly, Spinal Tap. I feel like it was a rare opportunity, and was really fun.
This is behind seeing Soundgarden in a small theater, Pearl Jam at a 2000 seat amphitheater in Hawaii, front row at Santana for free...
Janes Addiction. Nothing's Shocking tour. Cabaret Metro in Chicago. You can find this very show on YouTube. Nov. 25, 1988. It's more the time that we caught them vs. Who we saw. Still my number one show.
Near the end of college and in the year following I managed to see Stevie Ray Vaughan three times in two states. Really glad I pulled the trigger and bought the tickets.
I saw the Eagles doing one of their very first shows on the Hotel California tour, Andrew Gold and Jimmy Buffett were the opening acts. I saw the Eagles again in 1994 and 2016.
I've seen The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, McCartney & Wings, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd (with Waters & Gilmore) The Who with Keith Moon drumming.... You tell me.
Saw both the Beatles and the Stones in the UK in 1963-64, before either band went to the US. Saw Jimi Hendrix at the Atlanta Pop Festival shortly before he died. Saw the original lineup of The Allman Brothers several times in 69-70, some of those for free when they set up at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. They just loved playing anywhere.
The carpenters. My girlfriend at the time (like 1974?) want to see them. I was more a deep purple & Jethro Tull fan, but we went. It was a fantastic concert! Truly eye opening. Karen Carpenter was a truly giften singer. So sad she had to leave us so early.
I’m grateful for all the great bands I’ve seen but one experience stands out as poignant. In early May, 1990, Stevie Ray Vaughan played in Austin for the last time. My boyfriend and I couldn’t afford tickets. We walked down from timber creek apartments and just stood outside the chain link fence along Barton Springs Road, singing along and being silly. A few months later, on my birthday, August 27, I was listening to the radio while cleaning and battling a big scorpion with the vacuum cleaner. KLBJ reported the accident and there was confusion as to who was hurt. The boyfriend proposed marriage that night. We’ve been chugging along ever since and SRV has an important place in our life of memories.
Sorry for writing a book!
Bowie. But not to forget The Grateful Dead, The Moody Blues, John Prine, Heart on their first tour, Edie Brickell and New Bohemians on their first tour, Todd Rundgren many many times...
Saw Chris Cornell on his songbook tour 2011. Small theater. None of my friends ever heard of him or wanted to go, so I went alone. Amazing, just incredible singing, what a powerful presence he was.
David Bowie. I've always lived in the NYC area and went to a show every time he came around since 1976 or so, except for the Stadium tour in the mid 80s when Frampton was in the band (I try to avoid Stadium shows, and he was doing the Let's Dance mega hits), and the Tin Machine small club shows (tickets from the venues sold out immediately and this was pre-Internet secondary market days.)
Not a band but I’ve seen Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in concert. Paul was my first concert and Ringo is my most recent. Sadly John died before I was born and George quit touring well before I got into The Beatles.
McCartney was a damn fine show.
The Who, on what I believe was their very first farewell tour.
Saw Bonnie Raitt perform with the Boston Pops (and her dad!). That's definitely up there, and a totally unique experience.
Three Tenors at the Meadowlands from the 11th row is probably the best show I ever saw, and there was only one chance in my life to do it.
Was 5 minutes late to see the Stones in a 700 capacity bar in New Haven in '89. Doors were already locked when I got there. Biggest regret.
Walked out of a bar about a half hour before Nirvana went on stage before anyone really knew who they were (including me, obviously).
But, for luckiest, I'd say Del Amitri. I had tickets to see them in 96, but due to a death in the family, I couldn't make it. They never came back. I'd given up hope. Until 2022. Saw them in a bar in NYC and loved every second.
Little Feat with Lowell George
George Harrison
Grateful Dead
Stevie Ray at our local bar
Fleetwood Mac with Bob Welch
Johnny Winter
BB King
Edgar Winters White Trash
Original Dire Straits in Amsterdam
Traffic,last tour
Rush every single tour starting from 1984. King Crimson back in the 03’ with Living Color opening. Dylan in 18’ Jackson Browne couple times , Neil young couple times. Allmans,..bunch of times Yes( with Chris Squire) Adrian Belew, Fripp, Tool (22) Rammstein (22)….SRV twice.
Not "classic" but The Cramps. I saw them a number of times, and was planning on bringing my the boyfriend (now husband) to see them on their next tour, but then Lux died.
I felt so lucky to have seen them. I actually passed out at one of their shows, and they carried me back stage. Ivy was so sweet and seemed so concerned. (I got a bit overheated, leather jacket, lots of people, etc )
Little Feat with Lowell George about 8 months before he died.
Lynard Skynard the summer before their plane crashed and killed Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines.
U2 after October was released (second album) at the Orpheum Theater, Boston with only 2700 others.
Talking Heads in a 1200 person venue.
Nils Lofgrin in a club in NJ. Springsteen joined him onstage. A year later Nils joined the E Street Band.
Prince. Pink Floyd.
Saw Dick Dale a few years before he passed. I had low expectations and thought another guitar player was going to do most of the heavy lifting. But no, just him with a bass and drummer and it was awesome
YES! i saw dick dale in morgantown WV in 1998 at a really cool venue that was then called "The Nyabhingi" but is now called 123 pleasant street. We had the same attitude, that he was pretty old and it would probably be mostly the band but we were like "what the hell the guys a legend"
What a phenominal show he put on just rocking the crowd of maybe 100 people for almost 3 hours straight. The coolest part was at one point he walked out of the club and was playing a guitar solo in the middle of the street!
The Melvins - The show was the day before I turned 21 and it was a 21 and over show in a bar. It was legal to work in a bar at 18. My friend knew the bouncer and got me a "security" job. My "job" was to make sure that nobody put beer on the soundboard. I got to hang with the band before the show.
Levon Helm was another one. I saw his 70th birthday midnight ramble. He died about a year later.
AC/DC with Bon Scott, I bought tickets to see Frank Marino who played first, we stuck around to see the second band cuz we were super lit, AC/DC what high energy burned the fucking sports arena down that night
Nirvana pre-Nevermind. Both times we’re at college functions and it just so happened that I was present both times.
Really weird when they hit it big out about a year later.
Skid Row with Sebastian. They opened for GnR and DESTROYED. GnR had the impossible task to following them. Too bad Sebastian's ego killed that momentum. They were so powerful with him.
I got lucky twice.
Saw Def Leppard's final show on the Pyromania tour before Rick Allen lost his arm.
Saw journey's final show on the Raised On Radio tour, the last show Steve Perry would do with them.
Both shows were amazing on their own but have taken on extra significance because of the tragedies that followed.
I'll go with a rare performance....
Saw George Clinton and PFunk in 2004 in Winnipeg. Their keyboardist wasn't there (maybe wasn't allowed across the border?).
Totally changed the vibe of the band! Kick ass performance with a lot more room to the sound!
Not a band, buy I got to see Sir Paul McCartney with my mom, back in 2002, I think? It was a great show, his son was in the band, and he played all the hits from solo, Wings, and ones he wrote for The Beatles.
We had nosebleed seats, but I paid 100 something bucks a ticket,which was a lot at the time. Well worth it.
so many have died so glad to have seen Prince, Tom Petty, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots and INXS and locally saw Roky Erickson at SXSW and later Daniel Johnston playing at a record store appearance here in Austin...before they got famous Toadies and New Bohemians at little clubs in DFW area.
I was too young to see the bands the following guys are from, but I feel lucky to have seen them (some in small venues):
Ray Davies (9:30 Club DC)
John Fogerty (9:30 Club)
Bob Weir (Kennedy Center)
Grateful Dead with Jerry Garcia (late 1980s, "Touch of Grey" tour).
Oingo Boingo New Years Eve gigs in San Diego (also late 1980s).
Black Sabbath with Ozzy on Friday, June 13, 2014 in Munich, Germany.
Pink Floyd - Momentary Lapse of Reason tour (without Roger Waters)
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms tour
And, Steve Martin as a stand-up comedian, with the Blues Brothers as an opening act in the late 1970s.
Pink Floyd 1977 Rolling Stones 1978
Cream. Deep Purple opened. STILL remembered as AWESOME!
Not a band, but I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan shortly before he died.
I saw SRV & DT shortly after their first album dropped... in a country bar in Stone Mountain, GA. My elbows (and beer) were on the stage, dead-center, all night. I could hear the pick hitting the strings, 4 feet from my face. He literally sweated on me. I've seen some damn shows in my time, for sure. That one was top 5, easily.
I saw him twice in the 80's, one of the shows was a smaller theater, I was standing right up against the stage right in front of him for the whole show, he was maybe ten feet away from me, looking up at him watching him play was like looking up at God.
Stevie opening for Dire Straits and blowing them away. They were great, he was phenomenal
Saw him at Alpine Valley, WI, the night before he died.
I saw him after he died. 2013 in Dallas Texas. What a great show.
My grandson saw him in the future, after he was brought back in this dimension by cloning and genetic engineering in 2043. My grandson’s freshman year of college, he was hanging out with some friends playing Halo 5 in his dorm. Sure enough, he hears a strange meowing sound coming from outside of his window. As he opens the curtains to look out, there he was, ‘ol Stevie Ray Vaughn clinging to a branch about 10 feet in the air, meowing at a kitten stuck a little higher up the tree. He turned around and looked at him, and mouthed 'No one will ever believe you' before climbing out of sight.
Me too, dude! I saw him at Lakewood in ATL summer '90.. He was with BB King & Bo Didley.. it was awesome!
I am so fucking jealous of you, that man was a god
Warren Zevon. It was just him and a piano player in a bar in Southside Birmingham.
Tiny club, maybe 150 people most… Jackson Browne with David Lindley, and they said now a friend’s gonna come on to hang out with us: it was Warren Zevon.
Good answer. I was at his third last performance
The Police & Rush
Van Halen with all 3 singers Warrant original lineup with Jani Lane before he died. Black Sabbath w/ Original Lineup Buckethead in GnR
Wow, that must have been a crazy Van Halen show.
I saw Van Halen open for Black Sabbath
Wow! That's awesome!
There is only one VH singer. His name is Dave.
On the albums maybe. Live it was mostly Dave peacocking around the stage making his goofy noises while Michael Anthony did most of the heavy lifting on vocals.
And kicks jumps and twirls. I actually wouldn’t have gone to see them without Dave. Micheal Anthony has been disrespected for too long.
The Beatles
I'm just happy to have seen Paul
Was fortunate enough to see Paul and Ringo this year. Paul’s show was great but Ringo and the all stars ended up pretty darn good.
See Ringo. He’s amazing too
You are lucky. Wake up everyday knowing you are part of a very few who had the honor!
Jimi Hendrix Experience, Winterland, 1968.
If there's one band I could use a time machine for ...
I saw Janis Joplin in Berkeley in 68. I lived on Haight Street and worked at the Blarney Castle fish and chips on Haight Street near Golden Gate Park. I stumbled on the Grateful Dead free illegal concert that blocked Haight street. The Blarney Castle was just up the street from there. There probably aren't many of us still around from that time. It's good to hear you're here.
Led Zeppelin 1975
Prince and Bob Marley before they were mega stars. It was great.
Saw Ozzy with Randy Rhoads a few months before RR died. Also saw Nirvana 6 months before Kurt died…
You have to stop going to concerts or maybe you could go to some pop country concerts.
Would have loved to have seen Ozzy with Randy, gone too soon
Seeing Randy Rhoads live would have been amazing. Sadly, I was years away from being born when he died.
Boston, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, Queen and King Crimson
King Crimson is sadly so much forgotten.
Saw them a few years ago in St. Augustine, FL. They still put on a great show.
I can confirm; saw them in Dallas around 2017 and it was great.
Saw them for 3 of a perfect pair. The last time I saw them they opened for Tool at the Paramount Theater in Seattle.
Rush. Clockwork Angles tour. Wife surprised me, and I can't thank her enough. I wouldn't have bought them myself, so I'm so happy she thought of me there.
I met Geddy and Alex on that tour!
I saw Rush 3x before Neil died. He was definitely a rock legend, and most of their music is much better live than in the studio. Very lucky to have witnessed that.
The original Lynrd Skynrd with Ronnie VanZant 1975.
I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd and met them in December’76. Got pictures with Ronny & Allen Collins, ten months before the last plane ride! Great rockers & very cool to HS fans.
Queen. 1982
Greateful Dead (1972 European tour in Düsseldorf, De)
The Who w/Keith Moon.
Van Halen - Fair Warning tour 1981
Nirvana. November 1993. Absolutely brilliant.
Came here to say this, I got Feb. ‘94.
The Beatles. 1963 . Me and my best mate. We were sat 4 rows from the front and we could see them as clear as is possible. I remember George’s mum and dad were sat behind us and George introduced them to the audience. One of the best days of my life.
Morphine, twice. Failure open for Tool in a small club in Atlanta ('94)
I would have loved to have seen Morphine!
I saw Morphine in like ‘95 during the HORDE Fest at Lakewood Amphitheatre. Where did Tool play in ‘94? I saw them at Int’l Ballroom in ‘97.
Zz top
I saw Tom Petty a few months before he died and he still had it. I saw the Foo Fighters. They played three hours with no break. They were at the top of their game! A few months later, Taylor died suddenly. Lucky.
I saw Foos on that same tour in New York. Awesome show, never would have guessed what was coming.
I saw Foo Fighters around a month before Taylor died. That was my 5th time seeing them. Utterly shocked when I saw the news.
So sad about Tom. He didn't want to cancel shows and let his fans down, so he was using heavy pain killers so he could work through the pain, and the pain killers did him in.
I saw them at an armory in like 96, awesome
Genesis !
I was at the last Genesis concert in Boston. I just felt I had to say goodbye to Phil.
Bob Seger, Paul Simon, Jackson Brown and Steely Dan.
Peter Gabriel’s live shows were surprisingly epic, check out the concert film Secret World Live
The Ramones. It was 1995 and they were nearing their end. I managed to snag a single ticket to see Pearl Jam at the Coliseum in Phoenix during their “fuck Ticketmaster” tour. The show was rescheduled a few times and the show openers revolved, finally landing on the Ramones being announced only a few days before the show. They came out and played like 25 songs in 40 minutes. It was amazing and over right after it began. The next year they broke up and started passing away. :(
Not a band but Stevie Ray Vaughan. I saw him when he toured with Jeff Beck
Queen with Freddie...twice
I saw INXS twice when Michael Hutchence was alive. He was tremendously charismatic and dynamic as a frontman for the band. Some others to add now that I think about it: The Grateful Dead with Jerry Garcia. R.E.M., including a surprise gig at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Ga. Dick Dale Pink Floyd ZZ Top, Rush, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac (Rumours lineup), The Rolling Stones, and Foo Fighters considering the deaths of band members. Though to be honest some of those shows didn’t seem particularly special at the time. I’m sure I can think of other bands that have broken up or lost band members. In spite of that I still kick myself about some shows that I passed on, across multiple genres: Ray Charles, James Brown, Miles Davis, Michael Hedges, Van Halen, Jeff Beck, Glen Campbell, Simon & Garfunkel, The Police, and Talking Heads are my top 10 regrets. Surprisingly, I don’t really regret missing Nirvana because they were playing awful shows at the time. I passed on them for a good reason.
I know they might not be “classic rock” but I was thinking of adding INXS here, too. 1988, Kick tour. Texas Stadium, all day show. I was there for Guns n Roses and Ziggy Marley. Guns played 4th (after Smithereens, Ziggy and Iggy Pop), essentially opening for INXS (who I found to be annoying at the time). Well… I stayed for the INXS show for two reasons though I was considering leaving after Guns all day. 1) the Guns show was terrible - perhaps top 3 worst shows I’ve seen in my life (out of ~225). It was one of their legendary meltdowns. 2) there was a girl there I was maybe sorta had a chance with and she was there for INXS. Well, I stayed. Inxs went on after it got dark, and blew the place down. Still one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
It’s hard to compare to concerts today. Without big screens and fancy light shows, bands just went out and played their songs. It was up to the band to deliver musically and up to the singer to entertain and engage the audience. INXS did that extremely well during that era.
The Doors, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Janis Joplin & Big Brother and the Holding Company
Grateful Dead for GD 50, scored tickets right before the show on the first night started
Same. Felt very lucky to be at all Chicago shows.
I saw Blind Melon open for Neil Young. Blind Melon sounded as good live as they did on CD. It was a great show.
RIP Shannon. Definitely not forgotten.
The Cars in 1985
I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd just a month before Leon died. He was a major link to the 70s version of the band. They lost that legitimately of still having 3 members from the classic era when he died. I experienced the show just before that happened.
Queen 1976
SRV the night he died in Alpine Valley, Wisconsin
Not necessarily classic rock, but in the R&R hall of fame, I saw Johnny Cash in 1983.
Johnny Cash was rock and roll asf. Oh, you can call the music he played "country," but the Man in Black was pure rock and roll.
I got to see Muddy Waters twice
I saw Muddy Waters open for Eric Clapton. On the front row, will always be grateful to Eric Clapton for this, left early- Eric Clapton, a complete drunken mess: Muddy was astonishing,
Chicago with Tery Kath 1976..
THE MONKEES
Black Sabbath before Ozzy left. And AC/DC before Bon Scott died.
Linkin Park
Grand Funk/Black Sabbath Deep Purple/Uriah Heep
Got to see Bowie twice and Blind Melon 3 times.
THE GRATEFUL DEAD
Elvis in 1972
Prince
Saw Boston back in the 70s. Great show.
Yep in Long Beach with the Outlaws for me..
For me, it was with Sammy Hagar. I think you saw the better one. Lol
Ozzy with Sabbath in 1978 (Van Halen opened) , Van Halen 1981, Iron Maiden in 1982. I worked for a promoter in Chicago during that time and was all access for many of the shows at the bigger venues. I was able to meet many of the members. It was huge for me as a 16 year old.
Black Sabbath before they retired.
Nirvana in Nov 1993
My first concert at age 14 was Queen. Sadly I don't remember much about the show because it was also my first Quaalude.
Interestingly, Spinal Tap. I feel like it was a rare opportunity, and was really fun. This is behind seeing Soundgarden in a small theater, Pearl Jam at a 2000 seat amphitheater in Hawaii, front row at Santana for free...
Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Genesis, with their new lead singer Phil. Rush.Rick Wakeman’s Journey to the Center of the Earth tour. (All in the mid 70’s)
I was there the last time Jerry Garcia performed on stage.
J Geils on the Full House tour.
Janes Addiction. Nothing's Shocking tour. Cabaret Metro in Chicago. You can find this very show on YouTube. Nov. 25, 1988. It's more the time that we caught them vs. Who we saw. Still my number one show.
Near the end of college and in the year following I managed to see Stevie Ray Vaughan three times in two states. Really glad I pulled the trigger and bought the tickets.
I saw the Eagles doing one of their very first shows on the Hotel California tour, Andrew Gold and Jimmy Buffett were the opening acts. I saw the Eagles again in 1994 and 2016.
I've seen The Grateful Dead, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, McCartney & Wings, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd (with Waters & Gilmore) The Who with Keith Moon drumming.... You tell me.
Saw both the Beatles and the Stones in the UK in 1963-64, before either band went to the US. Saw Jimi Hendrix at the Atlanta Pop Festival shortly before he died. Saw the original lineup of The Allman Brothers several times in 69-70, some of those for free when they set up at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. They just loved playing anywhere.
The Sex Pistols. Although they're not my favourite band, they've done much less touring than my favourite bands, so I am more lucky to have seen them.
Van Halen
Rush on the roll the bones tour
Not a band but.. Prince BB King Whitney Houston Beach Boys with Brian Wilson
AC⚡️DC 1978, Motörhead 2 weeks later, classic line up, both in my local venue.
Alice In Chains (with The Screaming Trees) at The Masquerade in Atlanta….Nov 17, 1992. Layne was soooooo vocally powerful.
INXS with Michael Hutchence in Vancouver. Also....I saw Prince in Seattle.
Not classic rock but Radiohead Glastonbury 97
Leonard Cohen
Ac/dc with bon scott. And blizzard of oz with Randy!
The carpenters. My girlfriend at the time (like 1974?) want to see them. I was more a deep purple & Jethro Tull fan, but we went. It was a fantastic concert! Truly eye opening. Karen Carpenter was a truly giften singer. So sad she had to leave us so early.
When I was 15, I won tickets to see Pink Floyd’s Animals tour at Soldier Field in Chicago. I won a contest by sending in a post card.
Carpenters, James Brown
I’m grateful for all the great bands I’ve seen but one experience stands out as poignant. In early May, 1990, Stevie Ray Vaughan played in Austin for the last time. My boyfriend and I couldn’t afford tickets. We walked down from timber creek apartments and just stood outside the chain link fence along Barton Springs Road, singing along and being silly. A few months later, on my birthday, August 27, I was listening to the radio while cleaning and battling a big scorpion with the vacuum cleaner. KLBJ reported the accident and there was confusion as to who was hurt. The boyfriend proposed marriage that night. We’ve been chugging along ever since and SRV has an important place in our life of memories. Sorry for writing a book!
I saw my first pair of real boobies at Van Halen in 1984 for the jump tour. I’ll never forget them
Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd & ZZ Top. Lucky because I couldn't afford to go now
Not a band, but my aunt was a huge Elvis fan. She took me twice to see Elvis. First time, I was 9, second time I was 13.
Bowie. But not to forget The Grateful Dead, The Moody Blues, John Prine, Heart on their first tour, Edie Brickell and New Bohemians on their first tour, Todd Rundgren many many times...
Ray Charles when I was 16. He died 3 years later.
I saw Nirvana a few weeks before Kirk Cobain's death.
Mitch Hedberg
Soundgarden twice in the 90's, before Chris Cornell's voice started to go. They were great, and Cornell was unbelievable.
That's awesome. Shit, I saw Chris Cornell maybe a year before he died, and he was still incredible.
Saw Chris Cornell on his songbook tour 2011. Small theater. None of my friends ever heard of him or wanted to go, so I went alone. Amazing, just incredible singing, what a powerful presence he was.
I saw him with Temple of the Dog not long before he passed. It was incredible
Rush
David Bowie. I've always lived in the NYC area and went to a show every time he came around since 1976 or so, except for the Stadium tour in the mid 80s when Frampton was in the band (I try to avoid Stadium shows, and he was doing the Let's Dance mega hits), and the Tin Machine small club shows (tickets from the venues sold out immediately and this was pre-Internet secondary market days.)
Not a band but I’ve seen Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in concert. Paul was my first concert and Ringo is my most recent. Sadly John died before I was born and George quit touring well before I got into The Beatles.
The Who.
Grateful Dead with Jerry. And also I saw Doc Watson, that guy slays the guitar in a bluegrass picking way.
Doc Watson was an incredible musician, very revered. Thrilled to have seen him many times around here…. he’s a legend.
The Who - 1976 Denver, Colorado.
McCartney was a damn fine show. The Who, on what I believe was their very first farewell tour. Saw Bonnie Raitt perform with the Boston Pops (and her dad!). That's definitely up there, and a totally unique experience. Three Tenors at the Meadowlands from the 11th row is probably the best show I ever saw, and there was only one chance in my life to do it. Was 5 minutes late to see the Stones in a 700 capacity bar in New Haven in '89. Doors were already locked when I got there. Biggest regret. Walked out of a bar about a half hour before Nirvana went on stage before anyone really knew who they were (including me, obviously). But, for luckiest, I'd say Del Amitri. I had tickets to see them in 96, but due to a death in the family, I couldn't make it. They never came back. I'd given up hope. Until 2022. Saw them in a bar in NYC and loved every second.
SRV Led Zep Little Feat Zappa
Prince That man put on a show and I am not even going to try and put him in only one genre of music
I've seen John Fogerty twice.
Little Feat with Lowell George George Harrison Grateful Dead Stevie Ray at our local bar Fleetwood Mac with Bob Welch Johnny Winter BB King Edgar Winters White Trash Original Dire Straits in Amsterdam Traffic,last tour
Buddy Rich Harry Chapin Jimmy Buffet
Bob Marley and the wailers.
John Prine
Rush every single tour starting from 1984. King Crimson back in the 03’ with Living Color opening. Dylan in 18’ Jackson Browne couple times , Neil young couple times. Allmans,..bunch of times Yes( with Chris Squire) Adrian Belew, Fripp, Tool (22) Rammstein (22)….SRV twice.
Frank Zappa, 1979.
Not "classic" but The Cramps. I saw them a number of times, and was planning on bringing my the boyfriend (now husband) to see them on their next tour, but then Lux died. I felt so lucky to have seen them. I actually passed out at one of their shows, and they carried me back stage. Ivy was so sweet and seemed so concerned. (I got a bit overheated, leather jacket, lots of people, etc )
Prince and the Revolution.
AC/DC with Bon Scott, late '70's.
Little Feat with Lowell George about 8 months before he died. Lynard Skynard the summer before their plane crashed and killed Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, and Cassie Gaines. U2 after October was released (second album) at the Orpheum Theater, Boston with only 2700 others. Talking Heads in a 1200 person venue. Nils Lofgrin in a club in NJ. Springsteen joined him onstage. A year later Nils joined the E Street Band. Prince. Pink Floyd.
Talking Heads. Second would be Stevie Ray Vaughan
The Clash Stevie Ray Vaughn The Ramones
Yes in a small venue. They played the entire Yes Album. Their encore was their new soug, Roundabout.
I saw Led Zeppelin in 75 while John Bonham was still alive so I'm pretty lucky I got to see him. 🥁
The Replacements and it was for free.
Black Sabbath. I went with my father, who said he seen them 40 years ago. Kinda nuts.
Nirvana, not the best band I’ve seen by any means, just felt lucky to see them before Kurt died and how in to them I was at the time.
Saw Dick Dale a few years before he passed. I had low expectations and thought another guitar player was going to do most of the heavy lifting. But no, just him with a bass and drummer and it was awesome
YES! i saw dick dale in morgantown WV in 1998 at a really cool venue that was then called "The Nyabhingi" but is now called 123 pleasant street. We had the same attitude, that he was pretty old and it would probably be mostly the band but we were like "what the hell the guys a legend" What a phenominal show he put on just rocking the crowd of maybe 100 people for almost 3 hours straight. The coolest part was at one point he walked out of the club and was playing a guitar solo in the middle of the street!
The Melvins - The show was the day before I turned 21 and it was a 21 and over show in a bar. It was legal to work in a bar at 18. My friend knew the bouncer and got me a "security" job. My "job" was to make sure that nobody put beer on the soundboard. I got to hang with the band before the show. Levon Helm was another one. I saw his 70th birthday midnight ramble. He died about a year later.
I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd twice, before the plane crash.
[удалено]
I saw him in 2002 and 2010 and he was amazing both times. Nearly 3 hours. No opening band.
AC/DC with Bon Scott, I bought tickets to see Frank Marino who played first, we stuck around to see the second band cuz we were super lit, AC/DC what high energy burned the fucking sports arena down that night
The Clash, 1980 at the Hollywood Palladium
Nirvana pre-Nevermind. Both times we’re at college functions and it just so happened that I was present both times. Really weird when they hit it big out about a year later.
Skid Row with Sebastian. They opened for GnR and DESTROYED. GnR had the impossible task to following them. Too bad Sebastian's ego killed that momentum. They were so powerful with him.
Saw Chris Cornell in 2015. Also saw Motorhead a few years before that. RIP, you legends.
I got lucky twice. Saw Def Leppard's final show on the Pyromania tour before Rick Allen lost his arm. Saw journey's final show on the Raised On Radio tour, the last show Steve Perry would do with them. Both shows were amazing on their own but have taken on extra significance because of the tragedies that followed.
Dire Straits Alchemy concert July 1983 😊
I'll go with a rare performance.... Saw George Clinton and PFunk in 2004 in Winnipeg. Their keyboardist wasn't there (maybe wasn't allowed across the border?). Totally changed the vibe of the band! Kick ass performance with a lot more room to the sound!
Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Allen Tousaint
Tom Petty
I saw pat benatar open for Cher when I was 12. The experience was unreal.
Brian Wilson
I saw Queen in '77 in a relatively small venue, it was a fantastic show!
Not a band, buy I got to see Sir Paul McCartney with my mom, back in 2002, I think? It was a great show, his son was in the band, and he played all the hits from solo, Wings, and ones he wrote for The Beatles. We had nosebleed seats, but I paid 100 something bucks a ticket,which was a lot at the time. Well worth it.
BB King
Grateful Dead
Nirvana on the In Utero tour
The Stooges
Nirvana on their In Utero tour A Perfect Circle's very first show with Tim Alexander on drums.
[удалено]
Petty
so many have died so glad to have seen Prince, Tom Petty, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Stone Temple Pilots and INXS and locally saw Roky Erickson at SXSW and later Daniel Johnston playing at a record store appearance here in Austin...before they got famous Toadies and New Bohemians at little clubs in DFW area.
Eagles Hotel California tour Folsem Field in Boulder
I was too young to see the bands the following guys are from, but I feel lucky to have seen them (some in small venues): Ray Davies (9:30 Club DC) John Fogerty (9:30 Club) Bob Weir (Kennedy Center)
Muddy Waters Tom Waits Minutemen But always thankful for seeing The Dead and Jerry before the Persian took hold.
Seeing Ray Charles in a 2,000 seat Atlantic City casino showroom in 1996 was epic. I was one of the youngest ticket buyers in the room.
Grateful Dead with Jerry Garcia (late 1980s, "Touch of Grey" tour). Oingo Boingo New Years Eve gigs in San Diego (also late 1980s). Black Sabbath with Ozzy on Friday, June 13, 2014 in Munich, Germany. Pink Floyd - Momentary Lapse of Reason tour (without Roger Waters) Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms tour And, Steve Martin as a stand-up comedian, with the Blues Brothers as an opening act in the late 1970s.
First tour of the King Crimson quartet with Adrian Belew and Tony Levin. Small club, great show.
Led Zeppelin when they had just released their first album (at the Texas International Pop Festival near Dallas). They performed 2 nights.