Greatest shows you never saw/Greatest shows you ever saw!

[The Internet]

Hey! These music threads are great, I work from home, and I can get into a vortex of picking the music, so sometimes I just go through these threads, so I don't have to play DJ.

But I thought a good thread for discussion would be memories of any great shows/great bills you've seen. Also.....there's so many unbelievable posters and photos of marquees and just......legendary shows that none of us would ever get to see....it would be fun to hear people's wishes of what they could have seen!

For instance....I would have loved to have seen The Beatles in Hamburg, when they'd play 8 hours a night! Or in The Cavern, where they'd play two - sometimes three - shows a day. Beethoven once did a concert where he premiered the 5th Symphony, the 6th Symphony (which opened the concert), the 4th Piano concerto with Beethoven himself playing, as well as some of his songs, and parts of other pieces. All in one concert! It was a 6 hour concert!

Look at this bill for an Allen Freed show:


For the first part of the rock and roll era, you'd get these package shows, where there'd be a million great acts, and they'd each do a couple of tunes, whatever their hits were. This continued right through the mid-60s. Here's a great Murray The K show from 1967.....Smokey Robinson, The Who, Cream, Wilson Picket, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels....Simon & Garfunkel....Phil Ochs (!), Jan & Dean (?! lol) The Blues Project....



But with the San Francisco scene, and places like Bill Graham's Fillmore, bands were expected to stretch out, play two sets a night, play a full concert, and the bills they put together for these shows were amazing. Like for instance.....when are you going to get to go see Neil Young with Crazy Horse, with Miles Davis opening?!!!!



* * *
As far as weird bills that I myself have seen? It would have to be a tie between Dylan & Santana together..that's an odd match.....and The Grateful Dead with the Violent Femmes opening! lol. It was definitely surreal, taking a hit of acid, and just as it kicked in, the Violent Femmes come on (they were unbilled) instead of The Dead! I thought I might be hallucinating! (I wasn't) Then The Dead came on and totally sucked, lol. As was their way! So I guess that's not a great show. (I actually did see a great show at The Pier with The Pogues and The Violent Femmes, that's a good bill) (but not Neil Young with Miles Davis!)

 

[Gothika]

I have been to many shows but the best was in texas in 08 .. i saw heaven and hell,testament,judest priest and motorhead it was amazing 🙂

 

[drewskee]

I go to a lot of shows (mostly hip hop), and one of the best experiences I had was at my first real concert/festival, Rock The Bells 2010. On the main stage I saw:

-Snoop Dogg (accompanied by Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound, The Lady Of Rage and RBX)
-Wu-Tang Clan (including ALL original members minus the late, great ODB)
-A Tribe Called Quest (who brought out Busta Rhymes as a surprise guest)
-Lauryn Hill
-DJ Premier
-KRS-One
-Rakim (I shook his hand!)
-Slick Rick

Also, I saw Prince live just one month before he died. Just him, a piano and a microphone. Fucking amazing.

 

[milagros317]

I gather from the title of this thread that it solicits shows that we wish we had seen but never saw.
For me, the top of that list would be the T.A.M.I. Show, held in Santa Monica, California, in October 1964. As a 14-year-old attending Junior High School in New Jersey that month, I had no chance to be there.

The featured artists, in alphabetical order, were:
The Barbarians
The Beach Boys
Chuck Berry
James Brown and The Famous Flames
Marvin Gaye (with backing vocals by The Blossoms)
Gerry & the Pacemakers
Lesley Gore
Jan and Dean
Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
The Rolling Stones
The Supremes


Also, the house band, known collectively as The Wrecking Crew, was under the musical direction of Jack Nitzsche and included drummer Hal Blaine, electric bass player Jimmy Bond, guitarists Tommy Tedesco, Bill Aken, and Glen Campbell, upright bassist Lyle Ritz, and pianist Leon Russell, saxophonist Plas Johnson and others.

T.A.M.I. Show's executive producer was Bill Sargent. Sargent held patents in cable television and is considered the father of modern pay-per-view. He was the developer of Electronovision and its associated videotape technologies.

You can buy a DVD from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/T-M-I-Show-Collectors/dp/B0030ATZIA

 

[Bugman]

I suppose the most memorable show would be seeing Genesis during The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Tour.

Second place, probably Robin Trower, Todd Rundgren and Jethro Tull at Arrowhead in Kansas City.

Odd match ups? Once saw a folk band open for Electric Light Orchestra.

 

[The Internet]

I go to a lot of shows (mostly hip hop), and one of the best experiences I had was at my first real concert/festival, Rock The Bells 2010. On the main stage I saw:

-Snoop Dogg (accompanied by Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound, The Lady Of Rage and RBX)
-Wu-Tang Clan (including ALL original members minus the late, great ODB)
-A Tribe Called Quest (who brought out Busta Rhymes as a surprise guest)
-Lauryn Hill
-DJ Premier
-KRS-One
-Rakim (I shook his hand!)
-Slick Rick

Also, I saw Prince live just one month before he died. Just him, a piano and a microphone. Fucking amazing.

Whoah, you saw some great shows, my friend! Some of my fave hip hoppers! But the Prince show, holy moly........good for you!!! Would love to hear more about that show. Congratulations.

I have been to many shows but the best was in texas in 08 .. i saw heaven and hell,testament,judest priest and motorhead it was amazing 🙂

Awww, you saw Lemmy before he kicked it, good for you! And with Priest! The whole show was a good metal line up!

I gather from the title of this thread that it solicits shows that we wish we had seen but never saw.
For me, the top of that list would be the T.A.M.I. Show, held in Santa Monica, California, in October 1964. As a 14-year-old attending Junior High School in New Jersey that month, I had no chance to be there.

I actually just posted the James Brown sequence in the 60s thread the other day.....if someone has never seen that, you owe it to yourself. The full 17 minutes are amazing, if you're a music fan and have not seen the James Brown TAMI Show performance, you haven't lived.

And then The Stones came out and closed the show!

I suppose the most memorable show would be seeing Genesis during The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway Tour.

Second place, probably Robin Trower, Todd Rundgren and Jethro Tull at Arrowhead in Kansas City.

Odd match ups? Once saw a folk band open for Electric Light Orchestra.

Tull, Todd and Trower, that is a good bill! LOL!

You saw the Lamb tour? Whoah!!!!! Flashes of memories? Costumes? What was Gabriel up to? How close were you sitting?!!!! 🙂

 

[The Internet]

And just to boggle the mind, look at this old Fillmore handbill, advertising what's coming up that month. You're ready for this?

The Incredible String Band
The Who with I'ts A Beautiful Day ("White Bird) opening
Sly and the Family Stone, with Clarence Carter opening
Led Zeppelin with the Woody Herman Orchestra (!), & Delaney and Bonnie
Chuck Berry/Albert King
Booker T & The MGs, with the Youngboods and Chicago opening
The Grateful Dead with Buddy miles opneing
John Mayall with the Preservation Hall Jazz band
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Iron Butterfly
Canned Heat with Little Richard opening
Jefferson Airplane

I'd go see all of those shows! Some hold more appeal than others, but they're all worth seeing! I mean, you could see The Who, the next night Sly & The Family Stone...and the next night see Led Zeppelin with the Woody Herman Orchestra! And Chuck Berry/Albert King the next night! And so on and so on......this is just one of many such mindblowing Fillmore handbills & posters.

 

[Bugman]

Tull, Todd and Trower, that is a good bill! LOL!

You saw the Lamb tour? Whoah!!!!! Flashes of memories? Costumes? What was Gabriel up to? How close were you sitting?!!!! 🙂

Man, that was so long ago. I do remember sitting about 40 feet from the stage, just right of center. One of the costumes he wore was a floor length black robe, with a black mask covering the entire head and bat like wings where the ears would be. And there was a body suit of some kind that changed color as different colored lights were projected onto it. I might remember more but the people to my left had some primo hashish (straight from Nepal they said but who knows) and shared it with me. Whatever its origin it was some sweet stuff.

 

[The Internet]

Man, that was so long ago. I do remember sitting about 40 feet from the stage, just right of center. One of the costumes he wore was a floor length black robe, with a black mask covering the entire head and bat like wings where the ears would be. And there was a body suit of some kind that changed color as different colored lights were projected onto it. I might remember more but the people to my left had some primo hashish (straight from Nepal they said but who knows) and shared it with me. Whatever its origin it was some sweet stuff.

Oh , Bugman, I'm ulcerating with envy! lol. About the hashish, not the Geneis concert. Just kidding! No, especially the Genesis concert, wow. And he left the band right after that! So you got to see the last Gabriel tour!

Someone took all of the existing 8mm home movie footage that fans managed to capture on that tour, and synched it up with a bootleg from the Toronto show of that tour so......it's kinda neat, in case you want to relive the show.....albeit without the hashish!



**************

And to make Milagros' wish come true as best as we can, here's James Brown's jaw-dropping set from the TAMI Show, followed by the very early Rolling Stones (this is before they were even writing their own songs). I can't imagine following that James Brown set, but the Stones manage.






Mick and James hang during the filming of "The TAMI Show". The story of James being outraged at the Stones is completely apocryphal.

 

[Bugman]

Oh , Bugman, I'm ulcerating with envy! lol. About the hashish, not the Geneis concert. Just kidding! No, especially the Genesis concert, wow. And he left the band right after that! So you got to see the last Gabriel tour!

Someone took all of the existing 8mm home movie footage that fans managed to capture on that tour, and synched it up with a bootleg from the Toronto show of that tour so......it's kinda neat, in case you want to relive the show.....albeit without the hashish!

At the time I don't think anyone other than the band and a few other people knew that was his last hurrah with Genesis so that does make it pretty special. And from what I've read the rest of the band was glad to see him go. Thanks much for the video, I'll be watching that soon.

 

[Sodahead]

I've been lucky to see a few great ones, but I'm too lazy to to dig up footage or anything and I'm not sure my list will make anyone jealous, but here it is none the less.

Akron/Family: Greensboro 2010
Guided By Voices: Raleigh 2011
The Flaming Lips: Raleigh 2011
Public Enemy: Raleigh 2011
Pixies: Greensboro 2011
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Greensboro 2012
Superchunk: Haw River Ballroom 2013
Better Than Ezra: Winston-Salem 2016
Weezer: Raleigh 2016

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

Very cool thread, The Internet! Where would I start? Miles Davis in either the 50s or 60s, Charlie Parker whenever!! Saw John Lee Hooker twice(each time awesome!) but to see Howlin' Wolf or Elmore James live in the 50s? Wow! I would add The Who in the early 70s, Jethro Tull on the 1975 "Minstrel In The Gallery" tour(check out the Youtube footage!!), Also, The Blues Project, Janis Joplin, The great Otis Redding, Sam Cooke at the Harlem Club in the 60s, too many great bands to mention. Oh, The Band in the early 70s around the time of the "Rock Of Ages" live album.

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

Plus, Pink Floyd in 1967 with Syd Barrrett on vocals.

 

[drewskee]

Whoah, you saw some great shows, my friend! Some of my fave hip hoppers! But the Prince show, holy moly........good for you!!! Would love to hear more about that show. Congratulations.

Dude did a two-hour set and three encores with like 35 songs total. Each time he left the stage he rode away on a light-up bicycle. Would have loved to see him with a full band, but believe me when I tell you that man could do more with just a piano and a microphone than most musicians could ever dream.

A few other great shows I've attended that stand out in my mind:

-Stevie Wonder (He performed the Songs In The Key Of Life album in its entirety, and then some; was on stage for about four hours altogether (yes, there was an intermission). He was led to the stage by India.Arie (who sang guest vocals on a couple songs) and was also accompanied on percussion by Sheila E. at one point)

-Aretha Franklin (Saw her last year. She's still got it! I almost totally forgot that she also plays the piano, which she did beautifully. Babyface opened for her, and his set was highlighted by a couple dope covers and a medley of '80s and '90s hits that he wrote and/or produced for other artists)

-Hot Summer Night (Also last year. Headliner was LL Cool J (one of hip hop's all-time greatest live performers and all-around emcees), and the rest of the lineup consisted of Bell Biv DeVoe, Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty By Nature, MC Lyte and Case. I arrived a little late and missed Case's set and most of Lyte's, but overall it was dope)

-The Art Of Rap Tour (Ice-T's inaugural annual tour inspired by his 2012 documentary of the same name kicked off last year with an insane lineup that included Ice himself, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Blow, Cold Crush Brothers, Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel, Rapper's Delight (the two living members of the Sugarhill Gang), Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, DJ Quik, Xzibit, Mack 10, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, EPMD and more)

-Al Green (He sounded great but his set was just under an hour; you could see how he was giving it all he had even though he was visibly tired. So much sweat)

-Mary J. Blige and D'Angelo (Both artists were amazing, though they didn't perform together. I arrived late, shortly after D'Angelo's set began. I was bummed because I was also looking forward to seeing Melanie Fiona as the opener, but I ultimately missed her)

-Geto Boys (They were five hours late due to a broken-down tour bus, but I'm glad I stayed. Highly entertaining show)

 

[The Internet]

Wow, I wanted to address each one of these great shows, but.....it would take too long! Suffice to say, you all have some great shows, no question about it!

I can tell a quick one: I got to see Fela, possibly his last ever show in the US. We had a late rehearsal, and as soon as it was over, we went and got there just in time to see the last half of Fela's amazing set. I've never seen, felt or heard anything like it. After it was over, we were standing around, and Fela's mingling, and my friend whips out an ounce of super weed. Obviously as a ploy to bait Fela into coming over.

Well Fela takes the bait.....his face lights up, he marches right over to her, gives a patented Fela "Aaaaaah!" and puts his hand in the bag, and grabs a fistful of weed for him and his band. He calls over two of his thirty wives, and, smiling, they take beaded necklaces and bracelets off their bodies and give them to us.

Honored and delighted, we talked excitedly about the show and the experience of the whole night in the car ride home. But my friend was a little quiet, and when I asked her why, she said...."Fela took ALOT of weed...." LOL.



I had tickets to go see him the next time he was supposed to come over....but the Nigerian government threw him in jail, and he died of AIDS soon after. A sad end to a one amazing life, whoah!

 

[Bugman]

Wow, I wanted to address each one of these great shows, but.....it would take too long! Suffice to say, you all have some great shows, no question about it!

I can tell a quick one: I got to see Fela, possibly his last ever show in the US. We had a late rehearsal, and as soon as it was over, we went and got there just in time to see the last half of Fela's amazing set. I've never seen, felt or heard anything like it. After it was over, we were standing around, and Fela's mingling, and my friend whips out an ounce of super weed. Obviously as a ploy to bait Fela into coming over.

Well Fela takes the bait.....his face lights up, he marches right over to her, gives a patented Fela "Aaaaaah!" and puts his hand in the bag, and grabs a fistful of weed for him and his band. He calls over two of his thirty wives, and, smiling, they take beaded necklaces and bracelets off their bodies and give them to us.

Honored and delighted, we talked excitedly about the show and the experience of the whole night in the car ride home. But my friend was a little quiet, and when I asked her why, she said...."Fela took ALOT of weed...." LOL.

Just curious, when was this? Honestly, I've never heard of this guy.

 

[The Internet]

Just curious, when was this? Honestly, I've never heard of this guy.

Well, the story I told was the early 90s. But Fela recorded and performed between 69 and the early 90s. There's actually a Broadway show based on his life right now. A major artist in African music, very political, thrown in jail many times, beaten many times, but....fearless. One of the more wilder stories in all of music, definitely worth looking up and learning about. Nigerian. The architect of what's known as Afrobeat. He's like a Bob Marley or a John Lennon or a James Brown. If you ever meet anyone from Nigeria, or even anywhere from Africa, you mention Fela.....he's a hero. I don't know that he is conveyed very well in these You Tube clips, but definitely his records are stellar.

And a howdy to you, Bugman this great evening! I'm going to grab some dinner. What should it be? The diner? Or should I spring for Indian! Mmmm. Chicken Korma! 🙂

 

[Bugman]

Well, the story I told was the early 90s. But Fela recorded and performed between 69 and the early 90s. There's actually a Broadway show based on his life right now. A major artist in African music, very political, thrown in jail many times, beaten many times, but....fearless. One of the more wilder stories in all of music, definitely worth looking up and learning about. Nigerian. The architect of what's known as Afrobeat. He's like a Bob Marley or a John Lennon or a James Brown. If you ever meet anyone from Nigeria, or even anywhere from Africa, you mention Fela.....he's a hero. I don't know that he is conveyed very well in these You Tube clips, but definitely his records are stellar.

And a howdy to you, Bugman this great evening! I'm going to grab some dinner. What should it be? The diner? Or should I spring for Indian! Mmmm. Chicken Korma! 🙂

Sounds like he lead an...interesting life indeed. Might have some reading to do.

Not real big on Indian food, but then I've never sampled much of it.

 

[The Internet]

Sounds like he lead an...interesting life indeed. Might have some reading to do.

Not real big on Indian food, but then I've never sampled much of it.

Then the diner it is! Thanks for helping me make up my mind!

Here's a good show I wish I could have seen: Lenny Bruce with The Mothers of Invention opening........lol!

 

[bethaknee]

Not that anyone cares, lol, but I've seen Billy Joel in NYC at Madison Square Garden back in 2000. That was cool because it happened to be New Year's Eve. REO Speedwagon and Chicago in September (or it might have been August) of 2014 here in TX. Had a great view, and even though I'm not too big of a fan of them (my friend won tickets), they were pretty great live.

I was too young to remember many details, but I vaguely remember seeing Robert Palmer with my parents back in the day (maybe when I was like 6? I don't know).

I'd like to see Bon Jovi and Journey. Bon Jovi has been through here (Houston that is) a couple times while I've lived in TX, and I've managed to miss them.

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

Sounds like he lead an...interesting life indeed. Might have some reading to do.

Not real big on Indian food, but then I've never sampled much of it.

Hey Bug, Fela also did a great live album with Ginger Baker in 1969, well worth hearing. Actually all of Felas recordings are great, "Expensive Shit" being one of my favorites.

 

[Bugman]

Not that anyone cares, lol, but I've seen Billy Joel in NYC at Madison Square Garden back in 2000. That was cool because it happened to be New Year's Eve. REO Speedwagon and Chicago in September (or it might have been August) of 2014 here in TX. Had a great view, and even though I'm not too big of a fan of them (my friend won tickets), they were pretty great live.

I was too young to remember many details, but I vaguely remember seeing Robert Palmer with my parents back in the day (maybe when I was like 6? I don't know).

I'd like to see Bon Jovi and Journey. Bon Jovi has been through here (Houston that is) a couple times while I've lived in TX, and I've managed to miss them.

A bunch of us planned on seeing Billy Joel, back in the 70's. So one of the group says he will pick up the tickets and we can pay him back. So, the night of the show we all meet outside and guess what. He didn't buy a single ticket, and the show was sold out. Just about made him walk home.

Saw REO back in the 70's too, on Halloween night 1977. Or '76. Later they released a live double album and the encore, Ridin' the Storm Out, was recorded that night. I think a few other cuts were from that show as well. Also saw Chicago, with The Beach Boys, at Arrowhead Stadium in KC.

 

[Bugman]

Hey Bug, Fela also did a great live album with Ginger Baker in 1969, well worth hearing. Actually all of Felas recordings are great, "Expensive Shit" being one of my favorites.

Thanks for the tip. I'll look into that.

 

[bethaknee]

A bunch of us planned on seeing Billy Joel, back in the 70's. So one of the group says he will pick up the tickets and we can pay him back. So, the night of the show we all meet outside and guess what. He didn't buy a single ticket, and the show was sold out. Just about made him walk home.

Saw REO back in the 70's too, on Halloween night 1977. Or '76. Later they released a live double album and the encore, Ridin' the Storm Out, was recorded that night. I think a few other cuts were from that show as well. Also saw Chicago, with The Beach Boys, at Arrowhead Stadium in KC.

Oh yeah, I would have made him walk home! LOL. 😉

Awesome, yeah REO and Chicago were both great in concert. I had a good time. It was outdoors, but there was a nice breeze so it wasn't actually too hot.

 

[Bugman]

Oh yeah, I would have made him walk home! LOL. 😉

Awesome, yeah REO and Chicago were both great in concert. I had a good time. It was outdoors, but there was a nice breeze so it wasn't actually too hot.

Bee, the guy I'm talking about, was one of those over promise under deliver types, but you just couldn't stay mad at him for long. He was from Mississippi, had that Southern charm thing down pat, and used it to his advantage. Especially with the girls.

But back on topic. Living in Houston back in the early 80's I saw Stevie Ray Vaughn three times at a funky old blues bar in The Heights. That's one of the oldest neighborhoods in Houston, for those that don't know that. The last time was not long before Texas Flood was released. So I'm sitting there and in walks Steve Perry and two of his band mates. Next thing I know Perry is up on the stage, belting out the blues with Stevie Ray. Was never a big Journey fan, but Perry was a pretty darn good blues singer.