What is the most memorable concert that you had attended so far?

@tubegroover, we’re the same age, and I (Eric) had just turned 14 when I saw The Beach Boys live for the first time. All Summer Long was their latest album, and I spent the Summer of ’64 listening to it every day as my girlfriend and I made out on her couch for hours. Hi Mary Lou ;-) . She somehow knew the date of the show was close to the birthday of one of the boys, so she and two of her friends brought along a cake to The SJ Civic Auditorium to present to birthday boy. We went to the back stage door and knocked, and a security guard answered. He ushered in the three girls, but not I! I could not wait to start playing shows myself, and get some of that action ;-) . Less than a year later, I was.

I next saw The Beach Boys in the early 70’s at The Fillmore (with Chicago opening); Dennis had a broken arm, and was playing electric piano, Ricky Fataar was on drums. They were very strong; Chicago paled in comparison.

I met Dennis in 1982 at a small club in Venice, CA named Blackies. I was on stage that night, and he was sitting alone at a table, drinking. As I sat down to tell him how much I liked his solo album, I noticed how puffy his pretty face had gotten, presumably from drink. If you have a chance to see Brian live now, my advice is to not. Seeing and hearing him live (in the very early 00’s, with The Wondermints in his large band) was (apart from the death of my Mother when I was 15) the saddest, most depressing thing I have ever experienced. My heart hurts to this day.

@slaw, I too have seen Tift live, at The Troubadour in 2008, I believe it was. She was swell, but I sure wish I had seen Lucinda on her West tour. I’m now absolutely in love with that album.

Darn it, I forgot about the two really great shows I attended when I lived in NYC (Flushing, Queens, actually ;-) in 1983.

Dave Edmunds and his 3-piece band (which included the late, great Mickey Gee on Telecaster) played a set of 100 proof, blistering hot, pure American Rock ’n’ Roll at, I believe, The Ritz. Still my long-time girlfriend’s all-time favorite show. The music Edmunds made (he just recently retired, he says) is what Keith Richards would love to be able to; Chuck Berry on steroids, with Everly Brothers harmonies. Dave was playing his blonde 1958 Gibson ES335, and absolutely tore it up!

I’ve seen Marshall Crenshaw live a few times, but his show at, again, The Ritz, was the best. Rather than his normal 3-piece band (which included his brother Robert on drums and harmony vocals), for this show he had a 5-piece, which included Graham Maby (from Joe Jackson’s original band) playing a Fender 6 (the 6-string baritone guitar/bass Fender offered in the early 60’s, heard on many early Duane Eddy songs. Real "twangy" sounding) and singing harmony. Marshall and his band sounded SO good; great songs, playing, and singing (2-, 3-, and even 4-part harmonies). The ultimate in Power Pop!

I had seen The dB’s at The Ritz while visiting NYC the previous year, but their limitations were on full display live. Flat vocals (particularly by Chris Stamey), and weak, Garage band-level musicianship. Some pretty good songs (those of Peter Holsapple), however. Drummer Will Rigby, a southpaw, went on to work in Steve Earle’s band for many years.

Damn reubent, what a festival! The line-up has reminded me of a couple other great shows I have to mention.

In the mid-80’s I went to see The Plimsouls (Peter Case’s pre-solo group) at a tiny little "club" on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City named The Garage. It was an actual garage, like a car repair shop (with one of those roll-up, pull-down aluminum doors), with a cement floor the bands set up right on, no stage. There was an opening band whose name was new to me, and when they started playing my girlfriend and I looked at each other in disbelief, our mouths agape. They were GREAT! Turned out to be Los Lobos, whose first English language album had yet to be released. I was an instant fan. They made The Plimsouls sound like what they were, a modestly-talented Garage band.

Another was Steve Earle with The Del McCoury Band at The House of Blues on Sunset Blvd at the time of the release of their collaborative album. They all stood around a single, large diaphragm mic, which ever member’s part was primary at any given moment (verse vocal, 3-part harmony chorus, fiddle, guitar, or mandolin solo, etc.) positioning himself closest to the mic, then backing away when that moment had passed. Absolutely fantastic music making!

Just one? I’ll risk inciting the ire of anyone already finding me too "something" by listing a few:

- The Beach Boys at The San Jose Civic Auditorium in the Summer of 1964, my first concert. Brian Wilson was playing Fender bass and singing.

- The Beatles at The Cow Palace in the Summer of 1965. Not as good live as on their recordings. Don’t blame the messenger ;-) .

- The Band at The Berkeley Community Theater in 1969. The absolute masters of ensemble playing, they were like a Jazz band.

- Rockpile at The Country Club in Reseda, CA in December 1980. The best pure Rock ’n’ Roll band I’ve ever seen live.

- The Lyres at Club Lingerie on Sunset Blvd. in the mid-80’s. A great , great Garage band. Much better live than on recordings. I almost lost my mind during "Help You Ann".

- Big Joe Turner backed by The Blasters, also at Club Lingerie, also in the mid-80’s. The first Rock ’n’ Roll singer? What a man!

- NRBQ at The Roxy Theater in the mid-90’s. Bassist Joey Spampinato turned down Keith Richard’s invitation to become the replacement for Bill Wyman in "The Greatest Rock ’n’ Roll Band In The World!" to remain in the best American Rock ’n’ Roll band.

- Little Village on a sound stage in Burbank, CA at the time of their lone album release. Ry Cooder’s guitar solo on "Lipstick Sunset" was the single greatest musical moment I have ever experienced.

- Leonard Cohen at The Universal Amphitheater in the early 2000’s. Very dramatic, unique, and classy.

- Iris Dement at The Troubadour in West L.A. in the 90’s. The room was so quiet and reverential you could have heard a pin drop. Iris is an Angel, a gift from God.

I saw a bunch of Rock bands many may prefer to the above, including Hendrix, Cream, The Who, The Dead, The Airplane, The Doors, The Stones, etc. Kids stuff ;-) .