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Worst Concerts You Have Attended ??

I just left a remark about a favorite band of mine back in the day - April Wine - that I saw in concert and was disappointed. Could have been that it was an off night for them, or maybe they were never good in concert. Maybe the lead guitarist had too much to drink? April Wine was not the worst, however. I remember Neil Young in the 1990's who was on his one-man acoustic show type of tour that many artists were taking advantage of (perhaps for financial reasons) during that time. While a friend of I had near front row seats at Desert Sky Pavilion (now Ak-Chin) in Pheonix, the crowd was just roused up into a frenzy by the warm-up band (James) and here comes Neil and his guitar/harmonica. Wow, what a sonic letdown. I remember getting up and leaving and feeling Neil's glaring eyes on us as we ushered out. I think, to this day, he probably still remembers me. We all can remember the great live concerts we attended, but what were the worst and why?
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Showing 3 responses by millercarbon

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millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
"The crowd requested such Beatles hits as Street Fighting Man, Don’t Mess With Jim, Hand Jive, and Kung Fu Fighting."

"Our listeners have begun collecting signatures to reunite the Rolling Stones, and if that goes over I see no reason why we can't reunite Jim Croce!"

April Fool’s, indeed.
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millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Oh crap! Sorry! Almost forgot- Neil Diamond!

One of the hottest performers in his prime, he had unbeknownst to me degenerated by 1990 into some sort of Christian version of Bill Murray’s Nightclub singer. Walking into the concert we were beginning to wonder. Imagine 30k people all dressed in church attire.

Slow to pick up on what was going on, the degree to which he had sold out, song after song we kept getting excited at the intro only to be let down big time the minute he started singing. The fire was gone. Not a spark. Not even an ember. You know how you’re supposed to water your campfire, shovel the dirt over, water some more until the whole thing turns to mud? Like that.

We walked out. Now more than 30 years later I am able to enjoy his music again. But not for a good 5 years after that show. A show so bad even the memory was repressed. Until now. Worst show ever.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Both the best AND the WORST concert ever: Springsteen. 

Born in the USA, Bruce was in such top form it was like he was radiating this force field of intense energy and at 20 minutes I turned to my fiancee and said, "He can't keep going like this." But he did. For like FOUR HOURS!! The Boss did something I have never seen before, had the lights turned up and not for us to leave he kept playing for another hour! 

Years later he comes back and this time with Tina Turner and without the E-Street Band. Right away I wondered, "What do we need with Tina Turner?" I mean sure she was hot just then, but come on, this is Bruce. 

When the show began I found out. Bruce was there for the money. Walked through all his songs, well a few of them he only played for maybe 90 minutes- MAYBE! if that. A good 5 minutes of which was him just standing there on stage all by himself big smug look on his face while we all cheered and applauded. Why? Who knows. Because at that point he hadn't quite exhausted all his many years of built-up audience capital, I guess. 

Thought it was an awful thing to do then, still do to this day. Easily the worst of them all.
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