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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?
goodlistening64
skyscraper
825 posts
 
Mostly the worst concert, and momentarily the best ever, was Frank Zappa playing SUNY at New Paltz in the early ’70’s. He had a really great band at the time. I think I recall George Duke, Flo and Eddie from the Turtles, Jean Luc Ponty maybe, and some others who were excellent musicians. Being an a__, he spent most of the concert diddling around with his comedic crap, patronizing the audience I guess he felt wasn’t up to appreciating his music. I was really pissed and felt ripped off.

Then he broke into a scintillating, unforgettable guitar solo on Montana that was simply stunning. It’s a shame he was on that lame trip of his.

Mike
tyray's avatar
tyray
562 posts
 

@carlsbad

+1 coldplay at 2016 super bowl. I wasn't there but it was the first halftime show that made me and a lot of watchers all over the country sober up.
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feldmen4
108 posts
 
@tony1954 - Let me guess - when you saw Zevon everyone was sitting in there seat passively watching?  I saw him many many times - he got into it like crazy when folks were up on their feet dancing and just jamming out (later in his career he only played places with a dance floor right in front of him). I learned that early and always arrived early and sat on the floor right in front of him. As soon as I’d start jamming on his playing he’d just light up. There were a couple nights when it felt like he was playing just for me. I’m sorry you had the experience you did. I loved Warren every time I saw him and I’ll miss him until the day I die. 
Matt
edcyn
1,876 posts
 
Not that it was the worst, but I've just remembered a Byrds Concert.  At the Aquarius Theater in Hollywood (where, at the site's previous incarnation, my older sister actually had her sweet sixteen party). Crosby, of course, was long gone but Gene Clark, once more with the band, had just quit that very night. Or was it Crosby who just quit?  In any case, McGuinn, Hillman and drummer Mike Clark bravely soldiered on as a trio. McGuinn sang both lead and back-up vocals and played all the guitar parts.
bluespiano
4 posts
 
Black Sabbath @ Memorial Coliseum in 1971 or 1972.  They quit after maybe 2 songs and announced they had to do so to make it to another gig on time.
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