If You Could Attend Any Concert (past or present), What Would It Be?

jtrenthacker

Great picks by the way. Was that the Dylan show where he went electric and got booed off stage?

Speaking of Metallica, how about their gig at Tushino Airfield in Moscow, Sept 28, 1991? It was a free show with an estimated 1 million in attendance. I can't even wrap my head around that.

Yeah, I couldn't find any recordings of the actual show. The I'm Not There movie has a rendition of it that may be found on youtube - but no real Dylan. And yes, he was booed terribly

There are a lot of older Metallica shows I would love to have seen. I went to one a few years back with Lamb of God opening (my reason for attending) and, I swear, I must be getting old but half the crowd just stood there with cameras raised and recording. BACK WHEN I WAS A BOY (haha), those cameras would have been destroyed and littering the floor.

I like shows with energy, fervor...I love the feeding frenzy between band and crowd.

Here's another then, more recent (without the camera-holders, try doing that in this crowd - muahaha):

Machine Head - Live at Wacken Open Air 2009:

reply to post by jtrenthacker


If I got to be same age I was when I went to concerts I would revisit all of them.

But if I am the same age as now, I'll have to pass. I don't want to be the creepy old guy in the audience.

TDawgRex
reply to post by jtrenthacker

 

If I got to be same age I was when I went to concerts I would revisit all of them.

But if I am the same age as now, I'll have to pass. I don't want to be the creepy old guy in the audience.

No worries, you'd be invisible to the people there. Just an observer.

Great thread!

1. Pink Floyd: Live 8..
While not their best performance it was something I never ever thought I would see..Gilmour and Waters on stage together again..

2. The Animals (in their prime) : Any show
I'm a huge fan of Eric Burdon's voice

3. Bauhaus: Gotham 1999
The legends still at their peak...



4. Queen: LIve aid

This might be the best example ever of a band controlling the crowd.

Dublin. April 13, 1742.

In early March Handel began discussions with the appropriate committees for a charity concert, to be given in April, at which he intended to present Messiah. He sought and was given permission from St Patrick's and Christ Church cathedrals to use their choirs for this occasion. These forces amounted to 16 men and 16 boy choristers; several of the men were allocated solo parts. The women soloists were Christina Maria Avoglio, who had sung the main soprano roles in the two subscription series, and Susannah Cibber, an established stage actress and contralto who had sung in the second series. To accommodate Cibber's vocal range, the recitative "Then shall the eyes of the blind" and the aria "He shall feed his flock" were transposed down to F major.

The performance, also in the Fishamble Street hall, was originally announced for 12 April, but was deferred for a day "at the request of persons of Distinction". The orchestra in Dublin comprised strings, two trumpets, and timpani; the number of players is unknown. Handel had his own organ shipped to Ireland for the performances; a harpsichord was probably also used.

The three charities that were to benefit were prisoners' debt relief, the Mercer's Hospital, and the Charitable Infirmary. In its report on a public rehearsal, the Dublin News-Letter described the oratorio as "... far surpass[ing] anything of that Nature which has been performed in this or any other Kingdom".

Seven hundred people attended the premiere on 13 April. So that the largest possible audience could be admitted to the concert, gentlemen were requested to remove their swords, and ladies were asked not to wear hoops in their dresses.

The performance earned unanimous praise from the assembled press: "Words are wanting to express the exquisite delight it afforded to the admiring and crouded Audience". A Dublin clergyman, Rev. Delaney, was so overcome by Susanna Cibber's rendering of "He was despised" that reportedly he leapt to his feet and cried: "Woman, for this be all thy sins forgiven thee!" The takings amounted to around £400, providing about £127 to each of the three nominated charities and securing the release of 142 indebted prisoners.

reply to post by charles1952


Wow! Very interesting read. Wouldn't it be great if we could have a hi-fidelity recording of that?

Would love to see the Ramones again but Hey Ho ...........

reply to post by jtrenthacker


I'd go back and see the first show I ever went to: White Zombie at the Riviera in Chicago: January 1993. Best show ever. This was before they made it big thanks to their spotlight on Beavis and Butthead.

reply to post by jtrenthacker


The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970. I think this was better than Woodstock. Look at this line up:-

Supertramp
Chicago
Procol Harum
Family
John Sebastian
Joni Mitchell
Miles Davis
Ten Years After
Emerson Lake & Palmer
The Doors
The Who
Sly & The Family Stone
Melanie
Kris Kristofferson
Ralph McTell
Free
The Moody Blues
Jethro Tull
David Gilmour
Joan Baez
Jimi Hendrix
Leonard Cohen
Richie Havens
Hawkwind
Mungo Jerry
Redbone
Tony Joe White
Tiny Tim
Donovan

Plus many more lesser know acts.

Here are a couple of the acts:-

Styx with Dennis De Young of course. By themselves the band without De Young aren't too bad,and De Young by himself isn't all that bad.But without each other they've never been all that great.I know there's been some talk of some sort of reunion,but it seems unlikely it'll ever actually happen.

Somewhere I've still got my copy of Paradise Theatre which was the worlds first laser etched single.Made it sound crap,but looked cool as hell when handed round at parties.

reply to post by alldaylong


All I can say there is, Wow!

Aside from the aforementioned Peter Frampton and Woodstock, I would loved to have seen The Beach Boys, Sam Cooke, and Sammy Davis Jr. Sammy was the ultimate showman. Sam Cooke didn't need to do a dance, his voice did it all. And I just love every song the Beach Boys did.

How could I forget the classic Deep Purple line up of Gillan,Glover,Lord,Paice and Blackmore.....

......and from the same family tree,Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio.

reply to post by jtrenthacker


This wasn't so much a concert, but a few weeks ago the legendary Jeff Lynn ( ELO, The Move Traveling Wilburys ) performed at the BBC Children In Need Appeal Concert. Here are a couple of songs he did. Mr Blue Sky is absolutely mind blowing:-

For me, it would be Woodstock...hands down. What a show, every artist/musician's creativity was heightened by drugs, I assume, and they still managed to rise above and maintain control. Impressive.

reply to post by alldaylong


That was a legendary lineup! I have bot The Doors and The Who lives sets from that festival. They are such a great listen.

reply to post by VictorVonDoom


Agree with all your picks, I would go a step further with Sammy and would love to have seen The Rat Pack do show. Maybe at legendary Sands Casino in Vegas?

jtrenthacker
reply to post by VictorVonDoom

 

Agree with all your picks, I would go a step further with Sammy and would love to have seen The Rat Pack do show. Maybe at legendary Sands Casino in Vegas?

I would also like to view those shows, they also had to perform while under the influence.

Here is another legendary moment in music history.

James Brown, Michael Jackson and Prince on the stage? It happened it happened at the James Brown and Friends Show at the Beverly Center in 1983.

James Brown is being James Brown when he decides to invite Michael Jackson on stage. Remember, this is when Mike is in his prime as the King of Pop. He comes on stage does a short little Soul Brother #1 impersonation, gives James a hug and whispers in his ear. What's he saying? He know Prince is in the audience as well and wants James to bring him up.

So, after some coaxing, we finally see Prince approaching the stage riding piggy-back on a beastly looking body guard. (Prince was known to enter clubs this way during that time). A presumably coked-out-of-his-mind Prince then proceeds to steel a guitar from the backing band, toss the pick away, and make love to it. Off comes the jacket and he now starts doing all his sexy Prince moves. Eventually, he decides that's enough and exits stage right only to take out a prop light pole as he jumps off the stage.

I would give my left arm to have been witness to this concert. You have arguably 3 of the most iconic musicians of popular music, certainly of pop, R&B and soul, there together.

The clip I found is not the best quality. There's a better version floating around somewhere. I've been looking and have yet to find a soundboard boot of this show.

Speaking of Michael Jackson, how about seeing the first performance that he does the moonwalk?

May 16, 1983 for the broadcast of the Motown 25th Anniversary, Michael busts out probably the best performance of Billie Jean ever. His dancing was incredible. You could tell he had rehearsed this performance thousands of times. It gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. When he does the moonwalk, the best goes crazy.

I don't know if it would be considered a concert really, but to hear the original choir performers of king henry's church/court sing "The lamentations of Jeremiah" by composed by Thomas Tallis