The best show you ever saw (non-Bruce) [Archive]

Murder-Inc

Jun 15th, 2005, 08:07 AM

Social Distortion, 31 July 92, Fastlane in Asbury Pak

Everything a rock show should be. Loud, sweaty, dangerous, and sexy. Like standing 2 feet away from the tracks as a freight train rolls by, you know its not going to veer of and crush you, but the fear is still there. Must have been 90 degrees outside, 120 inside. Rev Horton Heat came on before them and as great as they were, they were truly a mear opening act to the onslaught that was to follow. Mike Ness was everything a front man should be, pipes, attitude, looks, charisma, but unfortunatly a nasty drug habit also. 2 Hours of fist-in-your-face rock&roll is the best way to describe it. The crowd was a downed power line snapping in a rain storm. It felt like any second the overcrowded Fastlane would implode, and the band would keep playing. The bartenders in there bras, the crowd a collective sweaty mess and Social D crunching out some amazing So Cal jams is a blueprint to any band that ever stepped foot on stage on how its supposed to be done. Jerseys hero was playing 40 miles north that night, but tonight he wasn't the best show in the state. Not even close.

Drew

joshuaj

Jun 15th, 2005, 08:17 AM

Santana - summer of 1980 Convention Hall Asbury Park, NJ. Watching him play that night was like an out-of-body experience. Hands down the best show I have ever seen.

Second best - sometime in the mid-1980's, Gregg Allman Band/Richard Betts Band double bill at the Stone Pony. They played separately, and then closed the show jointly doing a bunch of ABBand songs. Unbelieveable.

bruce1

Jun 15th, 2005, 08:21 AM

Dylan @ Tramps in NYC...Elvis Costello joined him at the end...then i got Dylan to sign my Blood O.T.T. vinyl for me as he went into his van. Amazing!

ohio boss

Jun 15th, 2005, 08:59 AM

I'm going to have to think about this one for a while but a good friend who owns a record store who actually saw the Beatles by the way, told me it was the Doors. He rates Bruce circa '78 right up there..wild....we just had this talk the last time i was in there.

Daddy-O

Jun 15th, 2005, 09:24 AM

Over some beers a while back, my budy Mike and I were talking about all the shows we'd seen over the years, and we figured we were each sitting somewhere in the vicinity of 500 shows. Off the top of my head, here are a few that always come to mind when this topic comes up:

Meters at Jazzfest 2005
Neville Brothers at Tipitinas 1990
Jayhawks at the Vic Theater, Chicago 1995
Dirty Dozen Brass Band at Fitzgerald's Nightclub in Berwyn, Il 1992 or 93
The Blasters at Fitzgeralds 2004
NRBQ at Howlin' Wolf (NOLA) 1991 (?)
Zachary Richard at Margaritaville (NOLA) 1995
Wilco at Harper College Lecture Hall, Room 1__? in 1996 (Being There tour warm-up show)

Jimmy the Saint

Jun 15th, 2005, 09:34 AM

Beastie Boys - Tradewinds, Sea Bright, NJ Summer 1993
Wilco/Flaming Lips - MSG - 12-31-04
Frank Sinatra - GSAC, Holmdel, NJ Summer 1992
Billy Bragg - Bottom Line, NYC - December 30, 2001

Karo

Jun 15th, 2005, 10:15 AM

This one is easy for me U2 comes very close to Bruce. The Joshua Tree and All That You Can't Leave behind tours were my favorite. I also love Elvis Costello and Billy Joel (back in day) live.

Kathy

orthy

Jun 15th, 2005, 10:27 AM

I've always been a huge Led Zep fan and seeing Page & Plant was amazing...(courtesy of setlist.com)

10/19/95 (Thu) - Buffalo, NY

Immigrant Song
The Wanton Song
Heartbreaker
What Is And What Should Never Be
Thank You
No Quarter
Hey Hey What Can I Do
Hurdy Gurdy Solo
Gallows Pole
Since I've Been Loving You
The Song Remains The Same
Going to California
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
All of My Love
Stairway to Heaven
Whole Lotta Love
Theremin solo
It's A Man's World
Break On Through
Dazed and Confused
Dancing Days
Egyptian Instrumental
In The Evening
Carouselambra
Black Dog
Kashmir

estband

Jun 15th, 2005, 11:16 AM

**John Lee Hooker: Vogue Nightclub in '90. He came onstage in a brown 3-piece suit, white derby hat and black shades. He sat down in a chair center stage and proceeded to blow the roof off the dump.

**Buddy Rich: Pike High School in February of '86. I had reservations to see him and his incredible orchestra again at Beef & Boards Dinner Theater in '87 but sadly Buddy passed away before the date of the show.

**Cowboy Junkies: Vogue Nightclub in May of '92. Opened with an incredible version of "Lost My Drivin' Wheel".

**Elvin Jones Jazz Machine: Blue Note Jazz Club on 6/25/00. Unbelievable display of power and finesse from one of the greatest jazz drummers of all time. And the next night I saw Bruce at the Garden!

**BoDeans: Jake's Nightclub in December of '89. Kenny Aranoff, who played on their 'Home' record, was in the audience and joined them onstage for "When The Love is Good".

**Bo Diddley: Vogue Nightclub in '91. Killer show that featured
Bo on drums for one song!

Dude with a CC

Jun 15th, 2005, 11:16 AM

Murder-Inc

Jun 15th, 2005, 11:29 AM

This is an easy one for me as well.

Van Halen at The Whiskey.

It was a special 15th Anniversary show and seeing them return to the club where it all got started was amazing! Big bands in small clubs, a tough combination to beat.

WOW, what year was that. Used to go there a lot in the early 90's, bands wern't that great but the eye candy sure was!

Drew

bossmom

Jun 15th, 2005, 12:06 PM

led zeppelin - 1977 - 1st concert ever! just awesome

also:

queen

bob seger

pink floyd

john lee hooker i also saw him around the same time ('89-'90) and agree with estband, he was incredible - my friend won tix on the radio so we went and were blown away!

bob dylan

david bowie

clapton

frank sinatra

and the blasters rock!

other special treats in our sleepy little town::

chris hillman acoustic in a recording studio that seats 60 and giving us some insight to the songs

james intveld play at the lodge

ah, and this one just popped back into mind:

ramblin' jack elliott - also at a small 60 seat theatre - the stories he told = priceless!

BrlDsguise

Jun 15th, 2005, 03:17 PM

4/21/02 - Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY

Hello Goodbye
Jet
All My Loving/Getting Better
Coming Up
Let Me Roll It
Lonely Road
Driving Rain
Your Loving Flame
Black Bird
Every Night
We Can Work It Out
Mother Nature's Son
Vanilla Sky
You Never Give Me Your Money/Carry That Weight
Fool on the Hill
Here Today
Something
Eleanor Rigby
Here There and Everywhere
Band on the Run
Back in the USSR
Maybe I'm Amazed
C Moon
My Love
Can't Buy Me Love
Live And Let Die
Let It Be
Hey Jude
The Long and Winding Road
Lady Madonna
I Saw Her Standing There
Yesterday
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band/The End

bellevue

Jun 15th, 2005, 04:55 PM

Pink Floyd-The Wall-Nassau Coliseum-February 1980 I don't have the words to describe it........................

H&H

Jun 15th, 2005, 05:19 PM

easy No. 1:

Van Halen, Warner Theater, Washington, D.C., May 1979
I was in the 7th row of this small historic theater, dead center. The band essentially played their first two albums and the entire back of the stage was a wall of speakers. Unfreakingbelievable. They actually got sued later because they were so loud they cracked the walls of the place.

No. 2:

Live Aid, JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA., July 1985
You know the lineup. History in the making. Enough said.

admiralkosmos

Jun 15th, 2005, 05:29 PM

Pink Floyd-The Wall-Nassau Coliseum-February 1980 I don't have the words to describe it........................

Great starting place - mindnumbingly surreal and overthetop. Great show.

Others over the years don't have dates and places but...

1) Michael Hedges - Bottom Line & Club Bene - He is no longer with us but he was a shaman of the acoustic guitar

2) Adrian Belew with the Pscyhodots and later the Bears - Mercury Lounge

3) MeShelle N"Degeocello - MONSTER - Merc Lounge - Village Underground

4) Willy Porter opening for Tori Amos in Denver in '97

5) Little F'ng Steven Van Zandt and the Disciples of Damn Soul at the Pony - you would NOT BELIEVE what a monster performance that was - oh my God.

6) Ramones - in my high school cafeteria watching the high school band "Hard Attack" which became "Shrapnel" and one day, "Monster Magnet". SO cool that Dan Rey stuck with Joey, right up to the cancer, helping him record his last album

7) Suzanne Vega, first album, in a church in Princeton. Jesus. Wow.
"Cracking" is still a great song.

8) Joe Satriani at the Trade Winds in Sea Bright, New Jersey with what was to become my eventual guitar instructor opening for him: Scott Hathaway.

9) Also at Sea Bright, I would worship at the double bass drums of my drum instructor, years before in the '80's, Joey Nevolo - he literally tried out years before for Bruce's band and was TOO GOOD

10) Joni Mitchell at "Joni's Jazz" festival in Central Park, with Chaka Khan, members of Living Color, and a slew of other artists with Joni, tiny woman that she is, just jumping up and down next to me at the side of the stage.

11) KING KRIMSON during the DISCIPLINE TOUR (the three albums of sublime perfect: Beat, Three of a Perfect Pair and Discipline) at a dance club in North Jersey

12) Dan Bern with his rock band in Pittsburgh, where he played the song he wrote for me "The Last Viking"

13) Jill Sobule at the Knitting Factory where she played the song she premiered that night in August 2000 and had written for me "The Viking Song"

14) Any Colin Hay solo performance - pick one - have your mind blown - racounteur, musician, dillitante, world weary story teller, Scotsman - even the last time I saw him with his preteen bride dancing around on stage was cool

15) Not Michael Jackson.

16) Ani DiFranco in Toronto, Buffalo, Rochester, Tampa, Penn State and New York City when she had the horns - her funk band kicked major ass - just mind blowing - checking out "Living in Clip"

17) Marcus Miller at Irving Plaza

18) Tom Petty and Heartbreakers at Irving Plaza

19) Clash at a roller rink at Univ. of Penn

20) So many many more.

There are many more, including the night Bruce and the whole E Street Band showed up to play the Pony as a surprise...wait...that's Bruce....

HeldUp

Jun 15th, 2005, 05:54 PM

David Lindley and El Rayo X
L.A. County Fair
(Approx. Sept., 1986)

Free show with admission to the Fair. Sunsoaked staged in front of wooden benches between the racetrack, the tilt-o-whirl and the petting zoo. Three shows per night for a week. After the show, grab a corn dog and lemonade and just hang with Dave and the boys until the next show. Kinda like hanging with Lincoln after Gettysburg.

People wandered to the show saying "WHO" and left saying "WOW!"

Marsha

Jun 15th, 2005, 06:24 PM

Cat Stevens.

5/4/74

There is something to be said about your first.
And also something to be said for a fourteen year old girl in love with a rock star and you're sitting with about ten of your girlfriends and the rock star answers your single yell out during a waited for silence and perfect opportunity and comes back onstage and plays your request for the first encore.

Sad Lisa, for me.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v688/Marsha923/cat.jpg

Boccigalupe

Jun 15th, 2005, 06:54 PM

Copy Cat !!!! 2/25/76 Cat Stevens

Marsha

Jun 15th, 2005, 06:55 PM

Copy Cat !!!! 2/25/76 Cat Stevens
Not really...you were at my second and I'd call you the copy cat but I know the facts. Too bad I didn't know ya then!

nuclear

Jun 16th, 2005, 03:31 AM

Recent shows:

Jimmy Webb, Glasgow - amazing experience! Already booked up for two dates later this year.

Ian Hunter - always a great night, and we got to meet him this time and Tom got his copy of the diary signed!

Past shows:

Brian Wilson at Royal Festival Hall - never seen grown men cry during a concert but everyone was in awe of the great man at that first night (and every night for that matter)

Roger Waters

Elvis Costello - only on a night when Liverpool win...... anyone who has seen him will know what I mean

John Prine (with Iris de Mente)

Georgia Satellites at Barrowlands - I'm 5ft tall and had to "pogo" all night to see the band but what a night!!!

Nils Lofgren - always a joy to watch and listen to the master

Bobby Bandiera Band - the Rothesay gig!!!

Steve Earle

Rolling Stones

Frank Sinatra - he came down from the stage and shook hands with members of the audience. It was one of the few times he ever came back on to do an encore. Certainly confused the orchestra.

Elton John -Shepherds Bush Empire charity concert was the best I've seen him over the years

mo

Marsha

Jun 16th, 2005, 05:16 AM

I thought we were picking one?
Makes it tougher.
No?

joshuaj

Jun 16th, 2005, 05:40 AM

There are many more, including the night Bruce and the whole E Street Band showed up to play the Pony as a surprise...wait...that's Bruce....

I saw Bruce play with Tim McLoone's at the Rum Runner on a night when there were only about 25 people in the place. The following weekend there was a line to get in. Sometimes its all about luck.

jazzm2000

Jun 16th, 2005, 06:42 AM

U2 - Boston - 05/24/2005
Maybe because it was so recent and we had great seats (a couple rows off the floor by the tip of the elipse), but this show was un-fing-believable. The energy in the crowd was great for the whole show, and they threw in "Out of Control" to mix things up a bit. Loved it!!

Previously:

Queen - Hartford - early 80's
Bowie - Hartford - early 80's
Stevie Ray Vaughn - 83 - in a parking lot at my college. I was blown away! NRBQ was there also and I really wanted to like their set, but the crowd was more into the beer truck then them, and they started doing skits like "Who's on First" instead of playing and I was very disappointed. Can't say I blame them, though.
Santana - SPAC - early 80's - 3 hours
BB King blues fest - SPAC - 2003 - BB, Thunderbirds, Susan Tedeschi, Albert Cummings. Seats towards the front of the shed. A good time was had by all.
Maynard Ferguson - Palace, Albany - early 80's
Buddy Rich - SUNY Oneonta - 83?

nuclear

Jun 16th, 2005, 06:55 AM

I thought we were picking one?
Makes it tougher.
No?

If it's only one, then Brian Wilson at Royal Festival Hall, London does it for me.
Not just for the show itself but for all the people who turned up to see the show - Paul MacCartney, George Martin, Eric Clapton, Kevin Spacey, etc.

mo

jojo

Jun 16th, 2005, 07:52 AM

Led Zep. 1973 in Pgh. at the 3 rivers Stadium.

Daddy-O

Jun 16th, 2005, 10:18 AM

NRBQ was there also and I really wanted to like their set, but the crowd was more into the beer truck then them, and they started doing skits like "Who's on First" instead of playing and I was very disappointed. Can't say I blame them, though.

jazzm2000-

I'd never heard about that, but I actually love that story. The Q have always done what they wanted, what inspires,amuses, motivates, and/or intrigues them. That's why they did albums with the likes of Captain Lou Albano, Skeeter Davis, and Carl Perkins. That's why no two shows are the same. Those of us who dig them understand that, and that is why I kind of liked hearing about that. I can almost see it:

"Nobody's paying attention? Ok, what do we want to do then? Hey you guys remember Who's on First?"

"Yeah, that'd be fun."

If you ever get a chance to see them again, give em another chance. My first Q show (New Orleans, 1991) was a rock'n'roll revelation. And d*mn I had fun!! :music:

MagicRat

Jun 16th, 2005, 11:58 AM

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - around 1989

dhenise

Jun 16th, 2005, 12:10 PM

I've seen some great shows, but I'll go with the Stones 1980 ........ opening show of the tour in Philly. That had to be #1. All the hype ....... "could it be the final tour" lol, and it really was a great performance.

jazzm2000

Jun 16th, 2005, 01:29 PM

D'oh! The U2 show I saw was 05/26 at the Fleet Center. It was so memorable I forgot the date!

Daddy-O,
On NRBQ - Yeah, looking back it's pretty funny. I'm a fan of their music, so at the time I was talking them up to my buddies and hoping for a show like you described, so I wasn't happy. I'll keep my eyes open for a show near here if they come around in the future.

Thanks!

DTG

Jun 16th, 2005, 01:40 PM

Too tough to pick just one. A few that come to mind, in no particular order:

-REM, summer 1984, Beacon Theater. Only the first 2 albums were out, and that's basically what they played. Encore included covers of "Pale Blue Eyes" and "So You Wanna Be a Rock-n-Roll Star".

-Replacements, Toad's Place, New Haven, early 1991. None of the usual drunken sloppiness from Paul and the boys, just a great, tight show by a great band.

-The Who, December 1979, about a week post-Cincinnati. True rock icons flexing their muscle (even w/o Keith).

-Since NRBQ has been mentioned, I'll toss in any number of shows from the late 70s at Toad's Place. The Q were a unique treasure.

-Eric Clapton, New Haven Coliseum, summer 74. A soft spot since it was my first show. He walked out, said "'Ello, m'name's Eric Clapton", and ripped into 'Layla'. Pretty nice start to my career as a concertgoer.

Krazy_Janey

Jun 16th, 2005, 01:54 PM

I've been thinking about this one quite a bit and although I wouldn't call this one the BEST... I think I will say I was extremely surprised at how much I enjoyed it...

Neil Sedaka

JanieGirl

Jun 16th, 2005, 02:15 PM

I have to agree with Orthy, Bossmom and jojo on Zep being up there ...

June 10, 1977 Madison Square Garden, New York, New York

The Song Remains the Same, The Rover/Sick Again, Nobody's Fault But Mine, Over The Hills and Far Away, Since I've Been Loving You, No Quarter, Ten Years Gone, The Battle of Evermore, Going to California, Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp, White Summer/Black Mountain Side, Kashmir, Out On The Tiles/Moby , Heartbreaker, Guitar Solo (Including Star Spangled Banner and Dazed And Confused), Achilles Last Stand, Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love, Rock and Roll

The thing I remember most about the show though was Plant’s haunting version of Ten Years Gone (it was awesome - goose bump material):

Did you ever really need somebody, And really need 'em bad
Did you ever really want somebody, The best love you ever had
Do you ever remember me, baby, did it feel so good
'Cause it was just the first time, And you knew you would

BTW ... I think that was even the show that someone threw the firecracker on stage – hit Page’s hand – not pretty.

MeanGene

Jun 17th, 2005, 12:17 AM

Pink Floyd-The Wall-Nassau Coliseum-February 1980 I don't have the words to describe it........................

Been there - done that! :roll: Nothing can be said to do it justice...

andyland

Jun 17th, 2005, 05:21 AM

OK. First, to you guys who saw "The Wall" -- I hate you. But it's a healthy hate.

A few favorites (I can't stick to one):

Spinal Tap at the Orpheum Theater, Minneapolis 1991 (The greatest guitar solo I have ever seen)

Joe Jackson Band at First Avenue a couple years ago. They rocked.

Billy Joel, The Bridge Tour, 1986 or 87, St. Paul Civic Center

Michael Hedges at the Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul about 6 months before he died.

Rush - numerous times

Jason and the Scorchers

Roger Waters/Pink Floyd (after they split, damn)

admiralkosmos

Jun 17th, 2005, 05:57 AM

Few performers deliver night after night but make it new, make it fresh, make it real and make you new, fresh and real as you listen and leave. Few performers are dangerous to watch or exciting to hear. Few performers will disappoint you and enrage you, only to come back the next song to charm you, enlighten you, soothe you and make you glad your alive, in that room, at that moment. Few, if any, are out there with a fraction of that talent, that haven't become wealthy and lost what they had and lost the connection. I'm not saying I've seen folk rock history and it's name is such and such; I'm saying there is a brother amongst us. That brother is:

Dan Bern. If you know him and you have seen him, you know. Night after night, even on some afternoons at the Seaport in NYC, he's made history - my personal history every time I've seen him. Here are some of the many moments:
a) The first night I heard "Lithuiania" at the Bottom Line in NYC;
b) The night I saw him open for Ani DiFranco at Central Park with her group of cool riot grrrls in the audience, ready to not like him. What's Dan do? Struts out in his paint spattered long shorts and work boots and muscle t-shirt and begins his "hit" "Tiger Woods", which starts with the line "I got big b__s, Big old b__s, Big as grapefruits, yes sir"
c) The night in Delaware where he crawled into the corner of the room, away from the microphone and sang without amplification, as we lucky few crowded in around him in some shaman seance;
d) The night at Joe's Pub in October 2004 when we are all so heady with the upcoming promise of the election and the room singing along with his sports-like chant "Bush Must Be Defeated";
e) Those nights at the now defunct Fez in New York City, weeks away from 9/11, when we were all somehow more innocent, more secure, safer. One night his guitar came unplugged and I dove across the stage (2 ft) to plug it back in as he was screaming "Plug in the f'ng guitar!". One night he debuted a song he actually wrote at my request, after a series of emails, called "The Last Viking". A sweeping folk-elegy about the lone Viking coming home to his sweetheart, again and again, from the battles of this world. He spoke of how he walked around Manhattan for three days thinking about the song and had originally thought "Well, you write your songs, buddy and I'll write mine" but finally found the song.

He's played it only twice that I know of: once in NYC and once in Pittsburgh.

I could go on and on. The bottom line is that a Dan Bern show is a true show. It's about one man, one guitar and one hell of a good time (as those stickers used to say in the toll baskets on the NJ Turnpike for that one-man band guy) He works and works hard. He's got the sense of humor of a mid-Western Colin Hay (great recanteur) and the maniac focus of the best punk band. He's got the confidence of a tornado and the frailty of baby boy. Maybe more than anything else, in his travels and constant touring from Alaska to your town, he's remained honest. He's dead honest and that somehow makes you a little more honest, a little better for it.

See him. If you do anything this year, find a local venue he's playing at and see him. He needs us and after you see him, you'll realize we need him.

Sample lyrics:
http://danbern.redacorn.net/lyrics/lithuania.html
http://danbern.redacorn.net/lyrics/truerevolutionaries.html
http://danbern.redacorn.net/lyrics/woodyblues.html (Springsteen parody)
http://danbern.redacorn.net/lyrics/newamerican.html
http://danbern.redacorn.net/lyrics/chelseahotel.html
http://danbern.redacorn.net/lyrics/rockandroll.html
http://danbern.redacorn.net/lyrics/shakespearee.html
http://www.eskimo.com/~wyiwndr/DanBern/alienabd.html

and this, the best of the many 9/11 songs....better even, in mind, than the Rising only because this is a clear vision of how I felt that day here in New Jersey....:
http://hotline.deadnetcentral.com/WebX?14@221.5MTZaSusqMT.0@.ee82bb7/5

Faithful Man

Jun 17th, 2005, 10:02 AM

Like most of you, I can't get it down to one. Also, I wouldn't necessarily call these the best, just the most memorable. Then again, the memory is the first thing to go. :-)

Paul McCartney (1990 or so) -- his later shows were actually better, but this was the first time since the Wings Over America tour that I heard a Beatle sing Beatle music live. Introducing my son to this great music was just another plus!

Billy Joel/Elton John (early 90s) -- two great piano men with sets together and separate. A lot of talent assembled on that stage

Jimmy Buffett (before he swore off the venue formally known as the Garden State Arts Center) -- if for nothing more than to soak up the atmosphere. Can't wait until August at Citizens Bank Park!

The Monkees (at Forest Hills) -- as Marsha pointed out, you remember your first, even if you went to it with your sisters.

Bryan Adams (PNC Bank Arts Center, last summer) -- entertaining, fun, he did a nice mix.

The Eagles (several venues in the 70s) -- good times with neighborhood friends as we were all growing up and going our separate ways.

HeldUp

Jun 17th, 2005, 10:06 AM

Marilyn Monroe didn't marry Henry Miller.

I remember hearing a review of Dan Bern's first CD and I just had to buy it. I haven't seen him live or bought anything else of his, but I cherish that first record, especially Jerusalem.

Murder-Inc

Jun 17th, 2005, 10:32 AM

"Jimmy Buffett (before he swore off the venue formally known as the Garden State Arts Center) -- if for nothing more than to soak up the atmosphere. Can't wait until August at Citizens Bank Park"

Whats the story about this, why did he swear it off?

dukestreetking

Jun 17th, 2005, 10:56 AM

There's something about going to a show and not knowing anything about what you are going to witness that makes it more exciting. In this day and age it becomes harder and harder however ther was a recent show I attended where this was the case.

On February 7th, 2003 Radio City Music Hall was host to the kickoff celebration for the Year of the Blues. Every living legend in blues was there to celebrate the occasion. Mavis Staples led things off and Honeyboy Edwards followed. I was 6 rows behind the soundboard in the first lodge level dead center, a spot I found when going to the lodge bar to get a drink. After settling comfortably into the newly renovated Hall and taking off my shoes to feel the plush carpet underneath my feet with not a security guard or other person (except my crew) within earshot I kicked up my feet and enjoyed my Captain and Coke. The one thing I remember most of all was the the sound that night was the best audible experience I've ever had. Better than a $20K home theater, better than anything you've ever heard. Simply a phenomenal audio experience that can never be topped.

What a night of music. Great one-offs with teh like of Alison Krauss and James Blood Ulmer. Odetta, Ruth Brown, Buddy Guy, Greg Allman & Warren Haynes, Gatemouth Brown, Solomon Burke, Shemika Copeland, The Nevilles, Fogerty, Dr. John, Robert Cray, Bonnie Rait, Jimmy Vaughn, Joe Perry & Steven Tyler and of course BB King. Many other I can't recall as well.

The show which started at 8pm was over at 1am. 5 full hours of bliss. There;s something great about not knowing who's about to walk onstage, who they are going to be playing with, and what they are going to play. While it's hard to say if this was the best non Bruce shoe I've ever been to it was certainly top 5 and a night I will remember forever.

Rave On,

DSK

Daddy-O

Jun 17th, 2005, 11:26 AM

Sounds like a Top 5 of all-time to me, DSK. Incredible line-up.

You mentioned Gatemouth Brown. I rarely allow myself to have any regrets from our Jazzfest trips, but this year I regret not seeing Gatemouth sitting in with Joe Krown at Rock'n'Bowl. We went to see Dirty Dozen/Rebirth/Wild Magnolias at Tipitinas on Sunday instead, which was awesome. Later, I read about the Gatemouth/Joe Krown show. Copied and pasted a blurb from the JF website chat board below (w/o permission):

"...debated what to go see on Sunday. Finally decided on the RnB after seeing that Gatemouth was sitting in with Joe Krown. When we got there Joe and his band were playing. After a couple of numbers, Gate came out. He was very frail and had to have help to the stage. His helper brought out his oxygen machine and set it down beside him, although he never had to use it. He proceeded to play, maybe 4 or 5 songs, mostly instrumental stuff. Then he looked up at the 50 or so people in the audience and said, "This is for all of you." and played the most hauntedly beautiful version of "Unchained Melody" I have ever heard. Let me tell you... you could have heard a pin drop. When he was though there literally wasn't a dry eye in the house... including the band. We all had the feeling that we witnessed what was probably one of his last performances."

Put that one on the woulda/coulda/shoulda list.

God Bless ya, Gatemouth...peace

GEEBOSS

Jul 1st, 2005, 06:56 PM

Several Shows stand out over the many years and I can't say that just one is the best because I'll always think of Bruce in the early 70's as some of the best shows I've seen. Going back to Merriweather Post Pavillion in the Spring of 69, Sunday May 25, 69 Led Zeppelin opened up for The Who and it was an unbelievable show. Couldn't forget how loud they both rocked and we had people from the pit asking us in the 7th row if we wanted to switch seats during sound check. jimmy page guitar work was inspiring and Pete Townsend was fantastic.
http://www.whocollection.com/MerriwetherPostHandbill1.jpg

Seeing the various bands during the 60's like Jeff Beck and Janice Jopplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company playing at the Alexandria Roller Rink October 20, 1968 or Seeing The Cream play at the Baltimore Civic Center Noverber 3, 1968 with Clapton at the height of his playing abiliity IMOHO and seeing Clapton with Blind Faith. I've truely have been fortunate and the list goes on from Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, Canned Heat, John Mayall and the bluesbreakers ,Ten Years After, Teri Reed, Rory Gallagher, Johnny Winter, Moody Blues, Procol Harum, CCR, Iron Butterfly, Country Joe and the Fish, Fleetwood Mac, Rolling Stones, Mothers of Invention with Frank Zappa, The Byrds, Neil Young, Lothar and the Hand People, Booker T and the MG's, the wonderful Judy Collins, Joni Mitchell, and so many many more. By the time my brother in law got me to see Bruce after constantly telling me You gotta see this guitarist thats playing down in Richmond at VCU. Timing and money were always pulling me to various shows through out the DC, MD and VA area that I'm glad he kept after me to come see Bruce and I've thanked him for helping me see my first show and I was hooked.

First show February 11, 1964 Beatles at the DC coliseum and it was neat but all those girls screaming I was glad to be home. Frightening were their screams. Couldn't really hear the show and it was short show by todays groups.

indiana bruce

Jul 1st, 2005, 07:31 PM

Joe Strummer chicago Oct '01
Grateful Dead LA 12-10-93 with Branford Marsalis on saxaphone
Stevie Ray Vaughn 6-87 Ft Wayne, IN
Eric Clapton 10-94 (blues tour) Indianapolis
Bob Dylan Normal, IL 2-99 (with Brian Setzer as guest on few songs)
Jerry Garcia Band Virginia Beach, VA 10-93

Boss MD

Jul 1st, 2005, 08:05 PM

...-Eric Clapton, New Haven Coliseum, summer 74. ...

A joyous concert was one I saw with him at the Spectrum in the early 90's. So incredible.

TheyCameToBosto

Jul 2nd, 2005, 08:06 AM

too many to count, but

GD 10/12/84 Augusta, ME - far & away my #1
but also
Clapton, 94 (Blues tour) Hartford, CT
ABB Beacon, 3/10/05
Elvis C. Orpheum Boston '81
Tom Petty Orpheum Boston '79 (damn the torpedoes tour)

1 800 luau now

Jul 2nd, 2005, 09:52 AM

luther allison house of blues in cambrisge mass
paul mccartney boardwalk hall ....atlantic city
the wiggles......madison square garden

orthy

Jul 2nd, 2005, 10:13 AM

Luckydad7

Jul 4th, 2005, 08:32 AM

October 30th, 1976, Capitol Theatre, Passaic NJ. Lynyrd Skynyrd with the Outlaws backing them up. Amazing night of Rock and Roll. I will never forget the final encore, Free Bird with all the Skynyrd and Outlaws guitarists lined up across the front of the stage and out walks Leslie West. A guitar army. Must have been 9 guitars jamming Freebird. Amazing memories from another time... God Bless the members of both these bands who are no longer with us. They left us way too early.

Flamingo Lane

Jul 4th, 2005, 09:35 AM

I love a good Buffett show at the Garden State Arts Center - Though I think that the parrotheads are at least 1/4 of the show. Last one I had 3rd row and danced on stage in a conga line for Volcano, but I must say that the "Best" concert that I have been to other that Bruce (of course), was........

"No Nukes" at in 1979 either at Madison Square Garden or at The Spectrum in Phila. (I cannot remember that far back).

Wonderful lineup including...
James Taylor - Great rendition of "The Times Are A Changin" with Carly
Jackson Browne with Rosemary Butler
Carly Simon
Bonnie Raitt
CSN - really haunting and beautiful harmony
Chaka Kahn - left the stage cause she mis-heard our "Bruuuuucing"
and Bruce (I hope this doesn't disqualify my choice).

I think it was about 5 hours long and ended with Jackson Browne singing "The Loadout" and "Stay" with the ESB and then the Devil with the Blue Dress Medley.

GEEBOSS

Jul 11th, 2005, 09:50 PM

Just saw one of the best young guitarist who can hold his own with the likes of Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Peter Green, Rory Gallagher, Stevie Vai, Joe Satriani, Jimmy Page, Carlos Santana, Prince, Richie Blackmore, Slash. His name is Joe Bonamassa. Saw him light up the fretboards and sweet chimin blues and slide guitar. For you guitar players on LD get out and see this guy... you will be amazed at his skill level and talent. I suspect that for this generation he'll be remembered as one of the top guitarists of the 21st century. And this isn't saying that he's the future of rock n roll ....he's just so dam good that I can't keep from smiling and so thankful that Philly has a small club called World Cafe Live. sample link

http://www.bonamassabluesrock.com/OmahaJoe444.jpg

http://www.jbonamassa.com/IfHeartachesWereNickles-LivefromFtWayne.mp3

http://www.nyxiandrift.com/mp3/ANEWDAY.mp3

Video clip

http://www.jbonamassa.com/Heartaches.rm

GEEBOSS

admiralkosmos

Jul 12th, 2005, 06:20 AM

Just saw one of the best young guitarist who can hold his own His name is Joe Bonamassa. Saw him light up the fretboards and sweet chimin blues and slide guitar. For you guitar players on LD get out and see this guy... GEEBOSS

Check the Adrian Belew website - he's also touring in the NYC Philly area next week. Philly (free) and BB Kings, NYC - thanks for the tip

dhweinstein

Jul 12th, 2005, 07:25 AM

Easy: - 1981 - The Clash - Bond's International Casino, NYC. Nothing has ever compared (including all 40 Bruce shows)

tomwilson

Jul 12th, 2005, 07:01 PM

Pink Floyd-The Wall-Nassau Coliseum-February 1980 I don't have the words to describe it........................

I have to agree Pink Floyd at Nassau ...and Queen at The Garden

also The Rolling Stones JFK 1981 ?

90's Pearl Jam Randalls island

tomwilson

Jul 12th, 2005, 07:02 PM

Easy: - 1981 - The Clash - Bond's International Casino, NYC. Nothing has ever compared (including all 40 Bruce shows)

I was there the night the fire dept stopped the show and kicked everyone out ..great shows at Bonds

Downriver Doc

Dec 1st, 2006, 05:35 PM

Simple-
JEFF BECK
Detroit Opera House
Sept. 18th 2006

The man is 62 freakin years old and STILL can
Wale on that axe better the anyone EVER!!!!!!

PS

Does anyone know who the female singer was that
was featured in the show?
Was she at the other shows?

Hope I can get an answer cause she had such an awsome voice.
Best I've ever heard Possibly!!!

Loose4Bruce

Dec 1st, 2006, 06:14 PM

Beth Hart was supposed to be touring with him
Skinny, long scraggly hair?
A voice that sounds like it's been cut with a razor blade?
Melissa meets Janis?
I've been a fan of hers since the beginning.
Except for me and a friend of mine, nobody else has ever heard of her.
That girl rocks. Check out her DVD.

gruffgordon

Dec 6th, 2006, 12:27 PM

In no particular order..

- Talking Heads - Binghampton, NY Oct. 1983 - Their last tour. There is still no band quite like this one live.

- The Pretenders - Palladium, NY Jan. 1982 - A rescheduled show. On a freezing night, my friends and I scalped seats to the last show I'd ever see with the original line-up. Five months later, James Honeyman-Scott would od, and Pete Farndon would follow a year later.

- Joe Jackson - Landmark Theatre, Syracuse, NY Oct. 1982 - The Night & Day tour. The crowd was going so nuts, the balcony was shaking.

- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Nassau Coliseum, NY Aug. 1981 - Hard Promises tour. The first of many times I would see this band, and they were so tight. All shows since have paled in comparison.

- Gang Of Four - Rochester, NY Feb. 1983 - touring on the heels of their most commercial release "Songs of the Free", this show was at a small space, and I was up close, in the throng of the crowd.

- J. Geils Band - Palladium, NY Apr. 1980 - Love Stinks tour. Again, I scalped (a hard ticket then) with a friend, having no idea what to expect. I wish I knew more of their songs at that point, but they blew the roof off of that great venue.

- Cheap Trick - Palladium, NY May 1979 - Following the release of "Live At Budokhan" and a few months before "Dream Police", the tricksters were so hot. This show was loud and raucous.

Patter

Dec 7th, 2006, 03:45 AM

I worked at the Fillmore East with Bill Graham all thru 1969, 1970and until it's closing in June 1971 and saw just about every great band there was to see play there (the list is way too long). But for me, the ultimate was Woodstock. I was fortunate enough to be working at the Fillmore East and all of the Fillmore Staff was hired to work at Woodstock (like this was work?)... anyway, there are many, many Fillmore concerts that stand out in my mind, but having so many incredible groups all in one place at Woodstock and I guess the whole essence and atmosphere and spirit of Woodstock will always make it my most memorable experience. I will never forget it ! While I may be older than most of you now, I've always felt so very grateful and blessed for being born into the 60's generation and all that those years meant to all of us - I wouldn't trade it for anything.

A few thoughts I have ---I think for each of us alot of it has to do with the time we were born, into what generation we were part of, and for each of us that was the BEST time to be alive and experience all the music we were growing up with....all the songs, singers and concerts that have special memories and meaning for each of us - we are all sooo LUCKY to live in a time where so much incredible music has become available to all of us in so many different ways (when I was a kid all we had was the radio - no FM, just AM and when I was a teen we had just moved from 78's records to 45's, no tapes or Walkman's, - I know some of you have NO IDEA what that means, HAAAAA).

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say (not very well) is that no matter when you were born, "your music is part of your heart, soul and spirit and you'll treasure it forever and be singing those songs even when your grandkids have no idea what they are ! They are all your special treasures!!" :music:

And of course, we all know, we'll be singing all of Bruce's songs forever....after all....they are the soundtrack of our lives!

(I apologize for the rant...:noway:

Glitter Girl Patter

dhenise

Dec 7th, 2006, 05:22 AM

First of all ......... Woodstock? TOOOO FRIGGIN' COOL!!! I'd love to hear some of those stories.

A few thoughts I have ---I think for each of us alot of it has to do with the time we were born, into what generation we were part of, and for each of us that was the BEST time to be alive and experience all the music we were growing up with....all the songs, singers and concerts that have special memories and meaning for each of us
Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say (not very well) is that no matter when you were born, "your music is part of your heart, soul and spirit and you'll treasure it forever and be singing those songs even when your grandkids have no idea what they are ! They are all your special treasures!!" :music:

You nailed it. Certain songs/artists make ya stop in the middle of conversations. The music brings back the same feelings ....... sometimes even some great memories from 20-30 years back. ;) Folks look at ya like you're nuts. Just ask my daughter. She got a chuckle out of watching me last week when LA Woman came on the radio.

Nice post!!

Next time you're in Lancaster PA, I'm buyin' if you promise to tell me about those old Fillmore shows.