Topic: Concerts you've been to.

[Rich Finegan]

Most of the concerts I attended were in the 70s -- when the ticket prices ranged from two to six dollars.  Here goes:  Andy Pratt (my favorite of the bunch).   

Andy Pratt - a favorite of mine, too. Local Boston guy. I saw him just less than two years ago at a small club in Taunton, Mass. I suspected it would be the kind of place where he'd be hanging around and be accessible. So I brought along my Andy Pratt LP's for him to sign (and to sort of show off to him that I'm a fan and really do have them...well, the first six anyway). Sure enough he was available to chat with and happy to sign anything. I especially wanted to show him that I have his first album, "Records Are Like Life" from 1969 (a rare one) and with the lyric insert included. And he seemed impressed.

Then during his performance he sat at the piano and was going to sing one of the songs from that first album, but at the last moment couldn't recall the words! So he called out to the audience, "Hey, where's that guy with all the albums?" He wanted me to bring the album up and put the lyric sheet up in front of him so he could read it while playing.

It was a fun show, if not as well attended as he deserves. He's still a great piano and guitar player and can still hit those high notes in his vocals.

[garystooge]

When did you see Alice Cooper, Jethro Tull, and The Kinks?

I saw Alice 3 times: Dec.1971 at Pirate's World in Dania,FL (that was the "Killer" tour), then twice on the "Billion Dollar Babies" tour (at the Spectrum in March 1973 and again at Pirate's World in April 1973). I don't recall there being an opening act at any of those shows.

Also saw Tull 3 times (all at the Spectrum):  May 1971 (Tony Joe White opened, followed by Spirit, then Tull).  In May 1972 their opening act was Wild Turkey, a band formed by former Tull bassist Glen Cornick. The last time was October 1972 with Capt. Beefheart opening.  Have seen Ian Anderson a few times as a solo in the past five years.

I saw the Kinks twice.  First time was at the Spectrum in Nov.1971.  Edgar Winter's White Trash was the middle group, and there was a distinctly forgettable group that opened (can't remember their name)
Second time was an outdoor concert at the Allentown Fairgrounds Racetrack in Aug. 1972.  Orleans opened the show, followed by the Kinks, with the Beach Boys as the headliners. Have seen Ray Davies as a solo twice. I've also had tickets to see Dave Davies as a solo twice, but each time his show was cancelled...most recently about 2 weeks ago!

One other concert I forgot because it wasn't a real "group"....Bob Dylan's "Rolling Thunder Revue" which was sort of a travelling caravan of musicians that included Roger McGuinn (from the Byrds), Mick Ronson (from David Bowie's band) and a bunch of others...saw that at Brandeis University in Nov. 1975

[hiramhorwitz]

Andy Pratt - a favorite of mine, too. Local Boston guy. I especially wanted to show him that I have his first album, "Records Are Like Life" from 1969 (a rare one) and with the lyric insert included. And he seemed impressed.

Richard, I should've guessed you'd know and be a fan of Andy Pratt.  I, too, have the Records Are Like Life album.  At one of his shows at The Main Point (a tiny place in the Philly area that I think is now defunct) I requested "Low Tide Island."  This was several years after Records Are Like Life was released and I'm guessing few if any of the fans in attendance had ever heard it.  Sure enough, Mr. Pratt started playing the first few bars of "Low Tide," looked me in the eye (yes, The Main Point was THAT small), and proclaimed "A true fan!"

Are you familiar with the Pratt concert recording from his appearance at The Other Side?  That's one I attended and can now hear my whistles and my shout requesting "Resolution" on the recording.  Great stuff, huh?

Did you read Andy Pratt's recent autobiography?  A bit wierd, but enlightening in parts. 

[Waldo Twitchell]

Hi Gary,

Well, John Sebastian was from The Lovin' Spoonful, correct? I'm intrigued that you saw Captain Beefheart perform live.  What was the reaction to their set? They were really out there for their time, and still are.

[Waldo Twitchell]

If I had a time machine...I would go way back, and pull in an AC/DC show with Bon Scott!

Another band I would have liked to have seen (back in the day) would be CAN. I've seen some of their concert footage from the early 70s on youtube and DVD and it's amazing. Tago Mago may be my favorite album of all time.

[3Stooges]

The first concert I can remember seeing was THE CARS at Great Adventure as a little kid. Maybe about 1979?

Other shows I've seen....

Van Halen with Roth 2007 (5 times)
Van Halen with Sammy Hagar 2004 (2 times)
Van Halen with Gary Cherone 1998 (1 time)
Jethro Tull 1988 in NJ
Keith Richards solo band (1993)
The Rolling Stones (1989)
Soundgarden 1994
David lee roth solo (About 10 times from 1988-2004)
Paul Rodgers 1993
Queen + Paul Rodgers 2005
Bad Company about 3 times. 1 time with Brian Howe singing 1986
Rob Halford about 2 times.
Robert Plant solo about 5 times. first time was in 1988 with Cheap Trick opening.
Page/Plant 1998. 1 time.
Jimmy Page solo 1988. Twice.
Jeff Beck 1990 with Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Run DMC early 2000's at Irving Plaza NYC
Sammy Hagar about 3 times.
Aerosmith with Poison opening up 1987.
Brian May solo 1993
Steve Vai solo.
James Brown 1990.
Earth Wind and Fire 1995
The Darkness 2004
The Who 1989
Foghat 2009. Cooper River Park in Pennsauken, NJ
Lou Gramm 2008
Ziggy Marley 1990
Lauryn Hill 1998 (2 times)
Pantera 1994
Tom Jones 2009

[metaldams]

I saw Alice 3 times: Dec.1971 at Pirate's World in Dania,FL (that was the "Killer" tour), then twice on the "Billion Dollar Babies" tour (at the Spectrum in March 1973 and again at Pirate's World in April 1973). I don't recall there being an opening act at any of those shows.

Also saw Tull 3 times (all at the Spectrum):  May 1971 (Tony Joe White opened, followed by Spirit, then Tull).  In May 1972 their opening act was Wild Turkey, a band formed by former Tull bassist Glen Cornick. The last time was October 1972 with Capt. Beefheart opening.  Have seen Ian Anderson a few times as a solo in the past five years.

I saw the Kinks twice.  First time was at the Spectrum in Nov.1971.  Edgar Winter's White Trash was the middle group, and there was a distinctly forgettable group that opened (can't remember their name)
Second time was an outdoor concert at the Allentown Fairgrounds Racetrack in Aug. 1972.  Orleans opened the show, followed by the Kinks, with the Beach Boys as the headliners. Have seen Ray Davies as a solo twice. I've also had tickets to see Dave Davies as a solo twice, but each time his show was cancelled...most recently about 2 weeks ago!

One other concert I forgot because it wasn't a real "group"....Bob Dylan's "Rolling Thunder Revue" which was sort of a travelling caravan of musicians that included Roger McGuinn (from the Byrds), Mick Ronson (from David Bowie's band) and a bunch of others...saw that at Brandeis University in Nov. 1975

Man, I would've loved to have seen Alice back then.  He's still performing today and it seems like he puts on a good show, but I'll never see him with The Billion Dollar Babies line-up.  That 4 or 5 album run they had can be touched by very few, in my opinion.  While recognizing Alice's best stuff was before he went solo, I'd actually go from '71 all the way up to '83 (DADA is an underrated masterpiece), as Alice's classic era, with occasional good albums thrown in after this.

As for The Kinks, sounds like you caught them during their transistional phase.  Just after the "classic" period and just before they staged rock operas.  I would've loved to have seen one of those mid 70's theatrical shows, and there's only little footage available.  My uncle saw The Kinks in Providence, Rhode Island sometime in the early - mid 80's.

Jethro Tull I'd see in any era.  I'm still kind of flabbergasted I saw them a full ten years before I could fully appreciate them.

[chad2411]

Metallica '09 Tulsa

[garystooge]

I'm intrigued that you saw Captain Beefheart perform live.  What was the reaction to their set? They were really out there for their time, and still are.

Well, you had to be pretty open-minded to enjoy Beefheart....as an opening act they were greeted mostly with puzzled looks.  I actually saw them as a headliner at Univ of Pennsylvania's Irvine Auditorium and they were much better received...not that anyone could dance to or sing along with their "music" but at least people knew what was coming.
Gary

[archiezappa]

I haven't been to very many live concerts.  But the few I have been to are memorable. 

I saw The Monkees in 1996.  That was pretty cool, even if Michael Nesmith was absent. 

I saw The Statler Brothers perform at Dollywood.  Now, that was a good show.

Also, Monkees related, I saw Peter Tork & James Lee Stanley perform at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.  Talk about getting your money's worth.  $10 cover charge and three 45 minute sets:  James solo, Peter solo, then Peter and James together.  Awesome.

[garystooge]

Man, I would've loved to have seen Alice back then.  He's still performing today and it seems like he puts on a good show, but I'll never see him with The Billion Dollar Babies line-up.  That 4 or 5 album run they had can be touched by very few, in my opinion. 

Yeah, back in the early days for most people it was all about the show: the snakes, guillotine etc. The first time I saw Alice I was a bit skeptical because often times theatrics are used to cover up other weaknesses in the band....but I remember his 2 guitarists could really play and of course Alice is/was one of the best frontmen in rock

Jethro Tull I'd see in any era.  I'm still kind of flabbergasted I saw them a full ten years before I could fully appreciate them. 

Really wish I could have seen them with Clive Bunker and Glen Cornick.  Didn't realize what a great performer Ian Anderson was...much more than a one-legged flutist with a trench coat!  Tull was the first group I saw to use strobe lights which accentuated Anderson's prancing around on stage. Too bad he's got little voice left these days....he was almost painful to listen to when I saw him as a solo a few years back.

As for The Kinks, sounds like you caught them during their transistional phase.  Just after the "classic" period and just before they staged rock operas. 

Well the Kinks didn't tour the U.S. much at all back then so I was just happy to catch them when I did. The Allentown show had the schmaltzy horn section they used during the "Preservation" period...my least favorite era of Kinkdom. It was one of those rowdy outdoor festivals with lots of alcohol, etc being exchanged between the band and the crowd, one of the Kinks' trademarks. No fights between Ray and Dave however.
Gary

[metaldams]

Yeah, back in the early days for most people it was all about the show: the snakes, guillotine etc. The first time I saw Alice I was a bit skeptical because often times theatrics are used to cover up other weaknesses in the band....but I remember his 2 guitarists could really play and of course Alice is/was one of the best frontmen in rock

Speaking from a bass player's perspective, Dennis Dunaway is very underrated.  He had an incredibly unique style.

I think another thing that made all those old Alice albums great is their producer, Bob Ezrin (who later did The Wall).  He's my number two favorite producer behind George Martin.

Well the Kinks didn't tour the U.S. much at all back then so I was just happy to catch them when I did. The Allentown show had the schmaltzy horn section they used during the "Preservation" period...my least favorite era of Kinkdom. It was one of those rowdy outdoor festivals with lots of alcohol, etc being exchanged between the band and the crowd, one of the Kinks' trademarks. No fights between Ray and Dave however.
Gary

There are some strong tracks on the Preservation albums, particularly "Sweet Lady Genevieve" and the absolutely hysterical "Shepherds of the Nation," but those albums do demand a large investment of time to get into.  On the other side of the coin, I do enjoy A SOAP OPERA and SCHOOLBOYS IN DISGRACE very much.  I'd probably throw "No More Looking Back" into my top five favorite Kinks songs.

[stooged and confused]

In the 70's

Elton John
Billy Joel
Tom Petty
Wings
Boston
Fleetwood Mac
Cheap Trick
Alice Cooper
Cheech & Chong
George Carlin
Styx
Chicago
Jackson 5
ELO
AC-DC

The 80's
Rolling Stones
Prince
Paul McCartney
Tom Petty
Billy Joel
Hall & Oates
Steve Miller
The Tubes
Def Leppard


The 90's

Paul McCartney
Rolling Stones
Tom Petty
Elton John & Billy Joel together
Prince
Eagles
REO
Dan Fogelberg

The 00's

Simon & Garfunkel
Fleetwood Mac
Paul McCartney
Eagles

[BeAStooge]

Man, I would've loved to have seen Alice back then.  He's still performing today and it seems like he puts on a good show, but I'll never see him with The Billion Dollar Babies line-up.  That 4 or 5 album run they had can be touched by very few, in my opinion.  While recognizing Alice's best stuff was before he went solo, I'd actually go from '71 all the way up to '83 (DADA is an underrated masterpiece), as Alice's classic era, with occasional good albums thrown in after this.

[youtube=425,350]gJfuWhMQ3Tc[/youtube]

[metaldams]

[youtube=425,350]gJfuWhMQ3Tc[/youtube]

This would've been just after the first stint in rehab while he was about to tour for the album FROM THE INSIDE, which he wrote with Bernie Taupin, also a recovering alcoholic.  Their troubles led to a GREAT album.  Fortunately, Alice has been sober since '84.

This footage shows that Alice has one thing just about every shock rocker since is missing.... a sense of humor.  This is one of the reasons I like Alice.

[archiezappa]

Yeah, Alice Cooper has a sense of humor!  Too many groups take themselves too seriously.  A little humor goes a long way.

[metaldams]

To bring this thread full circle.....

July 11, 2010, Holmdel, NJ. I'll be seeing Iron Maiden again for this first time in 10 years.  Just got my tickets this morning!  Glory days are here-ah, alleluia!

Dream Theater is the opening act.

[Dog Hambone]

Those I recall...  Capt. Beefheart...

Wow! Capt Beefheart (aka Don Van Vliet) was one of my favorite artists back in the day. Him and early Frank Zappa. I did see Zappa several times, but never the Capt. I was glad to see that you mentioned his name. In my neck of the woods at the time (Richmond, VA), he had a very small but intensely loyal (cult?) following.

I'm assuming he was touring to promote a new album. Are you enough of a Beefheart fan to recall which one? My favorite Beefheart albums were TROUT MASK REPLICA and LICK MY DECALS OFF, BABY, although I liked them all.

As Bob Hope would have said, thanks for the memory!

  

[garystooge]

I'm assuming he was touring to promote a new album. Are you enough of a Beefheart fan to recall which one? My favorite Beefheart albums were TROUT MASK REPLICA and LICK MY DECALS OFF, BABY, although I liked them all.

First time I saw them was late 1971...I think maybe Lick My Decals had been released the year before? Second time was 1972 and I think they had just released either The Spotlight Kid or Clear Spot....sorry but I wasn't a huge fan and I can't recall.   I'll bet I have some photos that I took tucked away somewhere, maybe they would have some clues.
Gary

[Bud_Jamison]

Black Sabbath  (seen 21 times)
Motorhead (seen 36 times)
Iron Maiden (seen 11 times)
Jethro Tull (seen 8 times)


Does anything else matter??

[metaldams]

Black Sabbath  (seen 21 times)
Motorhead (seen 36 times)
Iron Maiden (seen 11 times)
Jethro Tull (seen 8 times)


Does anything else matter??

You, my friend, have lived a full life.  Motorhead 36 times?  Wow.  I saw them do a 45 minute set once in 1998 and it was probably my greatest concert experience.

I'm a huge fan of all four of those bands.

[metaldams]

Tomorrow night, literally in the movie theater next to the building I work in, I'll be seeing THE BIG FOUR (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax) via satellite.  Not bad.

July 11, Iron Maiden and Dream Theater.  Even better.

Aug. 14 .......... PAUL MCCARTNEY!  The only thing that would make this night better would be to see Shemps#1 get up on stage before the show to present Paul with an MTS douche scented gold plaque, but since this won't happen, I'll just have to settle for an awesome 3 hour concert instead.

Add seeing the Red Sox playing The Rangers in Fenway in July, and this is shaping up to be a cool summer.  Anybody else going to any summer shows?

[BeatleShemp]

I've seen AC/DC, Tom Petty, The Dead Weather, and Flaming Lips.  I told my parents that a cheap nosebleed seat to see Paul McCartney in Kansas City July 24 would be the best birthday they could get me.

[metaldams]

Not always full clips, not 100% professional sound quality, but this was the Iron Maiden show I was at on Sunday in Holmdel, NJ.  I had a GREAT time.

[youtube=425,350]7pIHmXT6zlw[/youtube]

"Dance of Death"

[youtube=425,350]PgeLOyoOUmo[/youtube]

"Iron Maiden" (w/ a guest appearnce from Eddie)

[youtube=425,350]blQsOXDIQkU[/youtube]

"The Wicker Man"  (the opening song. check out that stage show!)

[metaldams]

Yes boys and girls, I saw him.  One of the greatest nights of my life.  Here's some footage!  I'm doing this early before work, but I'm sure more footage will pop up as the day goes on.  Of course, it's all amateur footage, so don't expect professional sound and visuals.

[youtube=425,350]0vMGqtdUBis[/youtube]

BLACKBIRD


[youtube=425,350]HU_fis5rDcE[/youtube]

HEY JUDE

[youtube=425,350]r0Tyz7UaT0k[/youtube]

BAND ON THE RUN