Originally Posted By alexbook If I had to pick one, it would probably be The Who at the L.A. Coliseum, with The Clash and T-Bone Burnett as opening acts. Incredibly loud.
Originally Posted By alexbook ^-I posted that before I read some of the other posts, and if the rest of you can pick multiple faves, so can I: - Rock-Bottom Remainders (Dave Barry & co.) - Bob Dylan (with opening act Steel Pulse, 1988) - Al Stewart (seen him 5 times, best was with opening act Loudon Wainwright III) I've also been to lots of acoustic, folk music events over the years. Not all of them qualify exactly as concerts, and most of them didn't feature any big stars, but I've heard a lot of really great music that way. Support Local Bands!
Originally Posted By DlandJB Re: Styxx<<but I was amazed at how many women were still throwing thier undergarments onto the stage!!>> Now it is less about sex and more about hot flashes...
Originally Posted By chickendumpling This might be the record for my longest post ever - apologies in advance. Bruce Springsteen: the rising tour Absolutely amazing. Someone once told me, with great disdain, that they couldn't see how I could stand listening to him because he just "screams and grovels it out." But I think he is a great talent and this concert was one of the best. He started the concert exactly on time and rocked his heart out for three hours. (Unlike Paul Simon who pretty much phoned it in.) With Bruce, the sweat was just pouring from him. You could feel that he was giving you everything he had; his whole self. He left nothin' behind. Sorry if I come off totally emo but music just touches my soul like nothing else can and this concert was nearly a religious experience. The raw sincerity of his performance and the pure emotion and feeling he was able to evoke from the crowd was a beautiful, beautiful thing and I was so glad to have not only witnessed it but to have been part of it. Elton John and Billy Joel: Face-to-Face Tour Another great concert. Very fun, very entertaining. Great showmen both of them. I found myself totally distracted by the personal heartbreak Billy Joel must have suffered to write some songs and I started getting mad at Christie Brinkley for doing that to him! LOL. Best "house" concert: I used to live down the street from a guy who played with Rocky Burnette (anybody remember the 80s song "Tired of Toeing the Line"?) (great rockabilly song). Anyway, one night he played that for me on the piano. It was totally, totally awesome. Like stand up to play and knock the piano bench over totally awesome. I thought the piano keys were literally gonna bounce off the keyboard! Thanks for the topic (and letting me drone on), this brought back a lot of good memories.
Originally Posted By jasmine7 It would have to be The Chieftains a couple of years ago. It was just an absolute blast between the music and the Irish dancing.
Originally Posted By ReadingMom The best concert I've ever been to was Paul McCartney in November 2005. 2oony and I decided to go to see Paul McCartney instead of going away for the weekend for our 20th wedding anniversary. Other favorites were June 1980 - Day on the Green at the Oakland Coliseum...Journey, Black Sabbath, Cheap Trick and Molly Hatchet. Styx in the early 80's, Billy Joel, Sting, Genesis, U2, Rolling Stones, Tears for Fears, and Earth, Wind & Fire. Most disappointing concert was Kansas in 1981. All others must have been "blah" because I can't remember them! On August 26th we go too Stevie Wonder!!!! Yeah!
Originally Posted By Ursula Dec. 30, 1980. The Great Western Forum. The band: Cheap Trick. Best.Night.Ever. Even though I was 12 and we had nosebleed seats and my mom had to come with us. I also have the GRAND thrill of seeing Cheap Trick tomorrow night at the Hollywood Bowl, and my niece will be there with us. I hope she doesn't mind having us old folks there with her! Also: Rolling Stones at the Coliseum, with J. Geils Band and Prince opening. Prince was booed. My dad took us out of school for this show, the first and last time he ever took us out of school for anything. Bruce Springsteen at the same venue. It was my birthday present, so it must have been the same year as the previous poster who was there Sept. 1985. Van Halen, ACDC, Iron Maiden, OZZY, wow, so many good shows that I remember kindly.
Originally Posted By tiki tiki tiki tiki 1985 U2 the Unforgettable Fire tour and 1987 the Joshua Tree tour. Absolutely incredible evenings, I was on cloud nine. 1987 was it? INXS at The Palace. A bracelet fell off of Michael Hutchence´s wrist and the girl next to me and I nearly killed each other to get it, but I got it! 1989 the Buzzcocks at the Greek Theatre. The most fun I´ve ever had at a concert. We danced our butts off!
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains <Day on the Green at the Oakland Coliseum> I was nearly 14, but my mom grew up in oakland - going to these types of concerts and since she was only 31 she still remembered what they were like and wouldn't let me go - I am still mad at her for that...I just feel like I missed something really great!
Originally Posted By lilgoofymom Garth Brooks- 1997 Great Show. Somehow a downsyndrom man got on stage during the concert. He had jumped over from the first balcony or something like that. The security guards went crazy trying to catch the poor guy. Garth stopped his show and told the guards it was ok. He walked over to the man and asked his name. (Rickey, I think)Introduced Rickey to the audience and gave him a hug. Garth then Helped the man down the stairs and went on with his concert. I am sure that made Rickeys day. : ) Same concert a radio contest winner who got to go backstage & meet Garth had bought a lot of souvineers before she went backstage. When Garth found out how much she had spent he gave her money back. I know he is a gazillionaire but he did not have to do that.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 I've been to SO many concerts so I'm going to name the ones that knocked my boots off. As I used to sneak a peek at the Old Filmore in SF from when I was about 10 to 13 years old and saw all the SF headliners of the day back then. However I'm talking about getting to have a legit seat and be completely apart of the experience. 1. 9 years old first time I got to see family legends BB King and Bobby "Blue" Bland at the old Circle Star Theatre. I was mesmerized by BB's guitar playing and Bobby's singing. I don't think anything will ever replace the excitement of a first concert. 2. Bruce in LA - Tunnel of Love tour. I'd seen him plenty of times before but this concert was something else. Four hours of fist pumping fun, he went through a ton of old material and it felt like he was going to play forever. Between Jersey Girl, Rosalita, Adam Raised the Cain and 10th Avenue Freeze Out I thought I was going to pass out. Probably helped that I was one row back from a ton of celebs. 3. Prince - 1999 tour. Wow, just wow! Prince and the Time - talk about hilarious funny and funky all at one time. 4. But the mother of all mothers was when I was 1976, I was 13 and my Tia's took me to see Parliament Mothership Connection tour. OMG - the smells, the FUNK, the space ship, the party. I was never the same. George Clinton is a GENIUS! 5. The performance that caught me completely off guard - San Francisco Fort Mason Blues Festival; I wasn't that thrilled to go, didn't think the billing was that hot. However my mama insisted I go with her. Yes mom, ok. She wanted me to hear the Roll With Me Henry lady - whatever <rolls eyes>. Out walks Miss Etta James and with no microphone - technical difficulties she had the crowd in the palm of her hands. Her voice so POWERFUL, so low, so raw, she is one saucy lady and I fell in love with her. She blew my mind with her talent. I could go on and on, I'll stop.
Originally Posted By SFH I'd have to second "Weird Al" Yankovic. He and his band put on a heckuva show. But then I'm a WAY freak. Just see <a href="http://home.flash.net/~kpellman/WAY.htm" target="_blank">http://home.flash.net/~kpellma n/WAY.htm</a> (Plus, I haven't been to many "real" concerts.) I even worked for six and a half years in the very same building where he filmed half of his "It's All About the Pentiums Video". But that was coincidence. I've met him and the band many times. I even have a picture with his mother (may she rest in peace). I first saw him at the Henry Fonda in Hollywood for the "Bad Hair Tour". I had better seats than Dick Clark. I've seen him at the Grove, at the Orange County Fair, at Brea Summerfest, and at the Greek at least twice. Right behind him is Sarah Brightman. Saw her at Staples Center towards the end of her Harem Tour. I treated my now-wife to it as a surprise less than two weeks before our wedding. I had her on the floor (good seats) and she still had no idea who we were there so see. I'll take Sarah Brightman over any of the young pop "singer" princesses any day. I'd better stop now in case my wife reads this. SFH
Originally Posted By Lady Starlight I was fortunate to see Gordon Lightfoot at The House of Blues in DTD last winter. His voice was amazeingly seasoned.
Originally Posted By MissCandice I have seen U2 every tour since Joshua Tree and loved every show but the one that blew me away was just their last tour, April 2005 down in San Diego. It was their 2nd show of the tour and Bono's voice was not at its best but the show was awesome. I was inside that circle and right against it so when the band walked out on it they were RIGHT THERE! It was a great show. Other notable shows for me were Barenaked Ladies (I think in 2002 or 2003?). I have never laughed so hard that I cried at a concert. And when I saw Brandi Carlile open for Chris Isaak in July 2005 (also the day I met melemakakakakakawhosits) she just was an amazing voice that it was just a wonder to watch her sing.
Originally Posted By sunNrainfall ^^ I've seen U2 tons of times, too. I was at that San Diego show in 05, also. On the outside tip of the oval. It was awesome! But going to Hawaii to see them at Aloha stadium was amazing, along with the awesome guests they had towards the end of the show. Eddie Vedder and Co, and Billie Joe for "Saints" The stadium was electric.
Originally Posted By chipndale16 My husband, mom, dad and I saw the Rolling Stones Bigger Bang concert in Seattle last October. We enjoyed the show so much, we all flew to Phoenix to see the same show 3 weeks later!
Originally Posted By mickeymeg I just mentioned this in another thread as well, but I like them so much I will take any chance I can to try to convert others to super fans with me =) Great Big Sea and Barenaked Ladies both put on fantastic concerts ! They will have you dancing, laughing, singing along and having the time of your life no matter what kind of music you like to listen to. If either of these groups pass through your town I highly recommend you go see.
