You can see any band/musician in history - who and why?

That’s awesome

 

Good call. Wilburys would have been really cool.

 

Clapton’s one of those names I’d have love to have been alive and seen “in their prime”.

Let’s be honest - the man now is a shadow of what he once was - granted it’s still better than most guitarist alive - but still not on par with the “Clapton is god” era guitarist.

I had a chance to see him early 90s - wasn’t a big fan of him then - obviously he had hit some hard times the years before and was “coming back” - this was right around Tears in Heaven and all that - I was young, but knew the old man was a fan so bought tickets so we could go see him. Wasn’t impressive then really in a big civic center - certainly doubt he aged well.

There are bands/solos that I think actually may have been better now though they may have been in their prime - or at least better when I saw them. Neil Young comes to mind - saw him on HORDE festival bill - was amazing….listening to some of his live stuff from the 70s - he certainly failed to consistently bring it night in and night out…too many drugs and too much free flowing booze.

 

The Doors, Beatles and Hank Williams.

 

Agreed - so many choices…but like yours and agree - most all of these in their prime would be amazing.

Especially The Who in all their instrument destroying, windmilling and hotel room trashing prime Hell - I don’t know if I’d rather see them live or get to party with them a night more.

Cat/Yusuf would be cool too - people sometimes forget how big he was in his prime.

 

Thinking if a few more for my list - Queen - especially Live Aid show and Mamas and Papas.

Cass Elliot was one of those singers who could simply take things to another level vocally.

 

And another - unless I missed it somewhere - surprised no one has mentioned AC/DC - too young to have seen them with Bon - would have been neat.

Again - kinda one of those bands I’d be split between seeing play and having the opportunity to party with for a night in their prime.

Saw him - but wouldn’t have called it a “prime” performance from Mr Willie Nelson…right venue/small crowd acoustic - I’m sure he’d be great even today. Sometimes it’s just hard to sound great in a huge festival setting.

 

You can't show up late to a concert?

 

Not unless I wanted to pay $60-$75 for late parking at Foxboro which at the time was comparable to the face value of the free ticket. If I left on time, I supposedly would have had access to a free shuttle and not have to deal with traffic.

 

Fair enough.

 

These guys right here…

 

I'm trying to think of bands I enjoy with great frontmen or really entertaining shows. I'll probably miss some but I'm thinking:

Queen in Freddie Mercury's prime
Jimi Hendrix
Various classic rock acts in their heyday, including Zep, The Who, The Guess Who, The Stones, Tom Petty, Pink Floyd, etc.

One of the absolute best shows I've been to was John Fogerty about 5 years ago so it makes me wish I could have seen CCR back in the day when they were still together. Though I guess John wouldn't have had as many entertaining stories to tell at that time.

I've seen The Tragically Hip three times but it seems they used to tour almost annually and Gord is absolutely amazing live. I really regret not seeing them more.

Iron Maiden and Judas Priest always put on a good show but I've seen them 7 times combined and the last Maiden show was one of two that I've been asked to sit down at.

 

Who asked you to sit down, and why?

 

I'm lucky, I'm in my 60's and went to hundreds of concerts starting at about 15. Got to see most of the bands on peoples wish lists here, some many times. I saw the Grateful Dead about 100 times. Was too young to see the Beatles but saw George, Paul and Ringo separately. Saw Johnny Cash 5 times, too many to list. A couple musicians I would have like to have seen would have been Duane Allman and Lowell George. But if I could go back in time and see one concert, it would be 1966, Bob Dylan (with "The Band") In Manchester England.

 

Definitely The Doors. I haven't been to a lot of concerts in my life, but I think that would have been a great show to see.

 

Funny you would say this,I really do not like Bob Dylan as a performer at all but would also love to have seen any of The Band shows of that era.
And we are in the same boat regarding "Vintage" and concert going experience and I went to School in New Haven.
I thought I actually died and went to heaven one night sitting in Toads Place when Lowell walked in to drink followed by Tackett and Barrere and they played an impromptu set just sitting in the bar! He died sadly soon after but it is a lifetime memory for sure.

I was also there one night when Al Dimeola got up on a table and just started wailing for an hour by himself!

I dont know if that sort of thing happens anymore but those were indeed the days for me for this.

My Sister was on the rail last night in LA for the Dead show and I asked her this morning if they played Box of Rain and she told me they cant play it right now because John Mayer cant get it right somehow? What?

 

Man, John Mayer in the Dead!? I still can’t accept that. A coworker of mine went and saw the Dead this weekend in San Diego and said it was a good show and that Mayer did a great job, but no matter what I just can’t / won’t wrap my head around that. My personal theory is that some behind the scenes power broker in the industry made the call that Mayer would be the new Dead guitarist. Trey Anastasio I could see, but never Mayer

 

The people behind us.

First time was at a Hip concert and they were "tired" from standing all through the shitty opening band no one had ever heard of. Then they asked the folks in front of us to sit down too and tried to start a fight with them. But they were nice enough to tell us to stand up for Wheat Kings.

Second time was because the fat bitch behind us was trying to film The Trooper on her phone. I felt like telling her to go fuck herself but my brother is more chill than I am and it was his first time seeing Maiden. I was also already pissed off because they started the show with all the crap from their latest album. I used that time to slip out to see if I could buy a shirt only to find that they'd increased the prices from the usual $40 to $50 for that tour and I hadn't brought enough cash.

 

To me that's like going to see Queen with whoever is pretending to be their frontman these days. Adam somebody? I can't and won't do it; no interest whatsoever. I mean, maybe if Freddie hadn't been so talented and iconic but some band members just can't be replaced.

 

Never tops on my lists but always liked. Went to see him about six weeks ago; show was very good. He is older but can still play his ass off.

 

I have to give you two, again assuming in their prime.

1 - The Replacements w/Bob Stinson. Thee band of my youth...sometimes wish I could go back and live 1985-1986 all over again without changing a damn thing.

1 - Led Zeppelin. Had tickets confirmed when JB died. What should have been..memory deprived. Best band ever IMO. Who would not have traded places with any one of those guys in 1973?

 

I’m a drummer to. When the news of Neil Peart’s passing came out my heart sunk and I knew at that moment I had wasted those opportunities to see one of my favorite drummers and would never have another opportunity. I’ll always remember where I was and what I was doing when I heard that news.

 

the white stripes!!!

 

Ah, this is fun. Last night I brought up this topic at a small gathering I attended. I mentioned a time I saw Rush at Irvine and the show wasn’t great… might as well have been three guys playing alone in someone’s garage for all the lack of difference between recorded and live experience… but the Fabulous Thunderbirds opened (why???!!! That was a bad pairing IMO). But then I saw my friend kind of side-glance at her husband, and he responded that Rush is his favourite band and he recalls a time he saw them play when Primus opened, and it was one of the best concerts he’d ever seen. I’m pleased to think he and you saw the same tour.

 

Me too, man. I remember where I was also. Seriously check out Primus, their playing of Farewell to Kings is spot on. Except for those unreal vocals to capture.

 

Thanks, I’ll definitely check it out.

 

Any Ozzy fans? Can't believe no mention of Ozzy! Jeez!!

 

This sums up why I’ve all but quit going to concerts - other people. I’ve gotten old and going to concerts, I mean large venues, is a young man’s game. Traffic in and out, parking, drunken heathen (other than me), cell phones, price gouging…bleh, you can keep it.
And it sucks when classic bands want to play their new stuff. Part of me gets it, but still. If I’m at a Maiden concert I want Churchill’s speech / Aces High, Run to the Hills etc. Their Live After Death album is one of the greatest live albums of all time. And I don’t mean just in the heavy metal genre, I mean of all recorded music, period.

 

Bigger question to me would be Ozzy with Sabbath or Ozzy and Randy Rhodes.

Personally it would be Ozzy and RR for me.

 

Funny how in your early 20s this stuff isn’t as annoying as it becomes in your 40s - of course having to get up early the next day and work or do crap around the house plays a part in it too so guess.

I couldn’t do concerts now with all the cell phones - in the day they beat you down for trying to bootleg with a cassette recorder - now everyone is filming with their phone.

Also can do without the drunken idiots getting loaded of $14 beers and hard seltzers.

Part of what makes good live classic rock bands is their understanding that you paid to hear the stuff from years ago - not 9 tracks off their latest project that no one bought.

Granted it’s a tough situation- your touring in support of an album - but crowd just wants greatest hits. Good bands work in both and don’t overload you with the new stuff - great bands can keep the crowd happy playing new stuff because it’s as good as the classics we know.