1971 Santana concert at the Allentown Speedway in PA. Not normally a great venue, the audience is sitting in aluminum bleacher seats with the band on the other side of the racetrack, concession stands behind and underneath the bleachers. Concert starts, all going great, when I smell smoke; turned around and the hot dog stand behind the bleachers is shooting 6' flames at the power lines! Looked cool for about 30 seconds with huge flames in the dark night sky and Santana playing, but... ZAP. All the lights went out, including, of course, the band's amps. We assumed the concert was over and people started getting up to leave, but after about 1 minute we heard... conga drums. Awesome drumming for almost an hour until the electricity came back on, and the band finished out one of the finest performances I've ever heard. Definitely time-machine worthy!
If you had access to a time machine, what concerts would you go back to see?
2020 was the first year of my adult life that I did not attend any concerts. I'm sure that I'm not alone in this unfortunate situation. So, this got me thinking about both the concerts that I "missed" (could've gone, but something went wrong) or concerts I "wished I'd had the chance to see."
Plus, I thought this would be a good bookend to the ongoing (and excellent) thread about "the worst concert you ever saw."
Plus, I thought this would be a good bookend to the ongoing (and excellent) thread about "the worst concert you ever saw."
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@Eonsx311, I attended the 5/23/94 Pulse show in Atlanta, which was indeed great. It is one of the far too few DVD's that I have that came from the same tour or the exact show I attended.....but, I also saw Pink Floyd on 6 - 23 - 73 in Detroit on the "DSOTM" tour. If I had to chose one, I'd probably have to go with the 73 show, because I remember far less of that show. |
@laxiotakis, I agree that if I could only pick one music festival to go back in time to see, it would have to be the Monterrey Pop Festival. But, the Atlanta Pop Festival (aka Byron Pop Festival) would be a close second. Either way, you would have seen Jimi Hendrix. I have multiple friends who lived in Georgia at that time who could not go because they were too young to drive, and their parents wouldn't let them go. |
@cheeg, that is a great story! I saw Santana and Clapton together in the summer of 1977. They took turns being the opening act and the headliner, so they were very competitive. The show ended with both bands on stage together for a 20+ minute jam session. To this day, I've never seen anything comparable. But, my most memorable concert story involves Clapton's 461 Ocean Blvd tour in 1974. The show started normally enough with an acoustic set by Clapton and his backing band. After that ended, Pete Townsend walked out and played an unaccompanied version of "Pinball Wizard" on electric guitar. Everyone was looking around wondering if they were tripping or if somebody had spiked their drink. Pete did not return until the final encore ("Layla"). Clapton reappears with his band and starts his electric set. I'm sitting in the upper level near the back row as far as you can get from the stage. Halfway thru the 2nd song, I complain to my friend that I "can't hear the drummer." The guy sitting in front of me laughs and hands me a pair of binoculars. The first thing I see is two of Clapton's roadies hoisting Keith Moon back onto the drum stool. I watched him play for 30 seconds and then fall off again. Now I start laughing and my friend is looking perplexed. I hand him the binoculars and say "this will explain everything!" |
Woodstock, 'cuz I'm old enough that some assume I'd been there, did that.... It was at the other end of the country, and I didn't hear about it until it was underF'nway, for one.... On the other hand...I did get to other concerts of a similar nature in CA, back when...so I got my dose of dirt, dust, mud, fun, not so fun, sunburn, strange sights, stranger people, psycho traffic, loud, memorable, not so much.... Enough to pick and choose what I wanted later to expose myself to...*G* And how.....;) |
1938 carnegie hall all star jazz concert with benny goodman's orchestra. just to hear live and in person what barely shines through the murk of the 78 rpm transcriptions of this classic concert. woodstock '69. monterey pop '67. the doors when they got the boot at the whiskey-a-go-go. the winterland blues bros concerts. to hear chick webb drumming in person wherever he was at. |
John McLaughlin in 1975, Marvin Gaye, Four Tops @ Cobo Hall in Detroit. The original Bob Seger band in 1968 and the great Eagles in ‘73, JGeils band in Boston 1969 and Detroit, Pink Floyd 1969 at Toledo Fieldhouse on Halloween, Allman Bros @Fillmore ‘71, Hendrix at Atlanta Pop Festival, James Gang in Columbus O in 1971, Rush 1975 at Alex Cooley’s Electric Ballroom Atlanta 1975, The Outlaws in 1974 and ‘75, Lynyrd Skynyrd in Antioch ‘75, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer in NY. Can’t believe I can remember that many lol. What a mighty crash music has made with the lack of imagination, originality, and musicianship that plagues us today. Who couldnt sit and listen to Motown every single day??? |
Led Zepplin, Little Feat(2) Kinks, The Who, Neil Young, Bob Seger(3) Early Fleetwood Mac(3) Deep Purple, Beach Boys, Springsteen, Early ZZ Top, Blue Oyster Cult, very early Alice Cooper, Amazing Rhythm Aces, Elton John, Wishbone Ash, Ink Spots, Freddy Cannon, Dillards, Brownsville Station... fond memories from classical concerts as well... |
This is a broad topic. My joke choice would be Stones at Altamont ’69. But here goes, Mozarts subscription concerts in Vienna mid 1780’s where he introduced all those beautiful piano concertos and the premier of any of the Mozart/Daponte operas. Any complete or nearly complete performance of Les Troyens during Berlioz’s lifetime. The premier of Wagners Tristan und Isolde and/or Parsifal. A Gilbert and Sullivan Operetta at the Savoy 1870-80’s preferably the Mikado. On a more modern note, The Beatles, Hendrix (on a not so sloppy night), Jeff Beck group w/Rod ’68?, The Who circa 1970 (probably Isle of Wight), Pink Floyd circa DSOTM, Zappa 73-74 with Roxy band and/or The MOI at the Garrick theatre ’67, Deep Purple at one of the Japan shows ’72. Miles Davis, either great Quintet w/either Coltrane or Shorter (sorry Coleman), Louis Armstrong Hot Fives/Sevens and Duke Ellington (Blanton-Webster) circa 1940-42. |
I think some posters are not keeping with the original intent of this thread (unless I misunderstood the OP's intention). I thought that we were supposed to mention concerts that we had once actually attended and would like to relive, not concerts that we wish we had attended. It seems that we're getting a lot of that. |
Got me to thinking about the Stargate SG1 time travel episode "1969". https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6j79ba DeKay |
How could I forget.. A fine Dylan concert, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Peter Greene with Splinter Group, Dick Dale, Jethro Tull, Foghat, Emy Lou Harris, Steve Earl, Cactus Blossoms, Roger Waters, and finally three years ago a great McCarthy concert. Many musical memories. All fine for different reasons. A young Bob Segar always had everyone on their feet rocking and rolling! Also...Freddie Cannon in a small club was superb. |
For the sake of clarity,you can list anything you want ("no limits"); it doesn't matter if you missed it the first time around or if you would want to revisit a great show that you did attend. I'm not surprised by the amount of mentions for the Allman Brothers; but, I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Humble Pie performances at The Fillmore East that became: "Performance: Rockin' At The Fillmore" live album. But, as tempting as that show would be for me, I think I'd go back a year earlier when they were a little hungrier and most importantly still doing both an acoustic & electric set(s). If you are a fan of the acoustic era Humble Pie, I urge you to seek out an 8 minute live clip from German TV of Humble Pie (YouTube) doing an acoustic cover version of "For Your Love" (Yardbirds). It is fantastic; and, it will surely remind you of how great a singer Steve Marriott was! |
Genesis December 18, 1974 at the Century Theater Buffalo NY. We got last minute SRO tickets and sat on the stairs in the balcony. They did The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway from start to finish. Great show at a great venue. A close 2nd would be Paul Simon at the Sony Music Center in Toronto the summer of 2016. I don't know if I ever heard a better sounding or tighter performance. Honorable mention would be the Stones in June of 1975 at the Buffalo War Memorial Auditorium. They hadn't played Buffalo in years and it was pretty wild. I had never seen the Aud as packed as it was that night. Bonus was the Crusaders were the opening act. |
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Concerts I would revisit. Percy Sledge free concert in Damrosch Park 1996. Unknown (to me) guest at the Mozart Cafe getting up from his table and friends and playing the piano while friends were cheering and teasing him. He was not a beginner, that is for sure. Of course, there are more, but these were out of this world. |
1972 - Genesis at the Castle, Columbus, OhioStands out among all others in my life. Gabriel in full costume changing for each song and telling stories between each song.Collins with a drum kit from 200 years in the future.Rutherford, seated the entire concert with a rack of 8 guitars behind him, giving a master class on nylon-stringed guitars. One of the most vivid memories of my life. |
Quadrophenia Tour 1973 was awesome. Almost as good as Elton John and John Lennon at MSG. Early Springsteen at Asbury bars and small theaters compete. Would love to have been at Monterey, Bangladesh and Last Waltz (even the movies were outstanding) but did get to see all nights at No Nukes, Dylan 30th anniversary (all good but Bob), Concert for 9/11 and all nights at Rock N Roll Hall of Fame 25th anniversary shows --all at MSG. |
@artemus_5- I saw Rossington Collins Band 3 times during '80/'81. Shows were incredible. Last performance was at a 2500 seat theater. My buddy and I were standing right in the front center of the stage and had our arms on the stage floor. He took photos. Watching Allen Collins rip into the solo for Freebird (they did an instrumental version at that time), and dance across in front me so close I could have touched his legs was a moment I'll never forget! Buddy Holly- Last performance w/Crickets Oct. 3, 1958, Worcester, MA Auditorium (I grew up here) Beatles- I'd like to have been in London and witnessed the rooftop concert Hendrix- Savile Theatre London, June 1967 with McCartney in attendance-he performed Sgt. Peppers (song) 3 days after it came out Lynyrd Skynyrd last concert w/ Ronnie Van Zant, Greenville SC 10/19/77 Zeppelin- MSG Elton John/John Lennon -MSG Any Deep Purple show 1972-1973 |
Great post! Without question U2 Live at Red Rocks 05, June 1983! What an amazing experience that must have been for those who were fortunate enough to attend. U2 at their primal best (IMHO) just before they truly hit the map. Then they just got too popular and mainstream and got all weird on us...Too bad as early U2 man, that's just some DAMN GOOD music! |
Hawkwind at the Treorgy Tree Festival, 1988. I didn't attend because of personal factors. They played all of my favourites, including Assault and Battery and others from Warrior on the Edge of Time. Alternatively the Stax revue that toured England in 1967, and played in West Hampstead at a dive known as Kook's Clique. It was a revelation for both artists and audience; Otis Reading, Sam and Dave, Booker T were the house band, and they had only played segregated venues in the US before. Years later they would say "Play it like we played in London" Also my parents were there, two years before i came along, so that gig is part of our family story |
@sgreg1, you make two good points: 1) "SRV, so I could tell him not to get on the helicopter!" Now that's the kind of creative response that I've been looking for in this thread!! 2) "I was there...but, I didn't have the opportunity to remember the music." The first time I wrote down a setlist was on Springsteen's "The River" tour in 1980. I knew that he would play for 3 1/2 - 4 hours, so I figured that was the best way I could remember the show. A few years ago, I discovered the website: "SETLIST.FM." This is a very helpful site, as I have found setlist's posted from shows that I saw all the way back to the 1970's! |
1913 Paris, France for the premier of "The Rite Of Spring". Early 1930s Mississippi -- I'd track down performances by Charley Patton, Robert Johnson and Henry Sloan. 11/7/40 -- the Crystal Ballroom in Fargo, ND to see the Duke Ellington Orchestra. That's the band with Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges and Jimmy Blanton. 1972 -- Stan Getz "Captain Marvel" band featuring Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Airto Moreira and Tony Williams. |
Queen in 1978. My first concert ever, and my only time seeing Queen. The Who in 1979. My first Who concert. Too bad Keith Moon had already passed away then. I have seen them at least 6 or 7 times since. Still my all time favorite band. I even ran into Pete Townshend in a 5th Avenue shop in NYC back in the late 90's. I asked for his autograph, and then he started striking up a conversation with me. It was so unexpected that I almost got on my knees and bow to him screaming "I'm not worthy!". |