Live music you have attended that left impact....perhaps better than you expected.


I have seen great symphonies, Chicago, Moscow, Boston and others including some smaller cities performers that were quite good, Madison, Wi, Milwaukee and some other Midwest cities.  Actually did a bike trail with the first chair Cello player from the Chicago Symphony and his girlfriend from the singers and they stayed at my home and I made a very good meal for them....with a excellent Bordeaux...and this made for a great memory. 

As far as Jazz and Pop, the list is long and I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to see these.
James Taylor
Jackson Browne (several times) the best was "Running on Empty" tour. 
Little River Band 
Heart
Chicago
B.S.and T. 
Nancy Wilson
Woody Allen, Jazz bar in NYC
Harold Land (just great)
Julia Fordham (a few times)
Gene Pitney (I was amazed at how good he was and how much he sounded just like his recordings)
Hall & Oats
Peter whatever his name was, Switched On Bach
Joni Mitchell 
Diana Krall, a few times, and once with Elvis.
Wynton Marsalis
and more than are coming to mind...
 
I wish I could have seen, Chet Baker, Paul Desmond, Ella, Dinah Washington, Blue Mitchell, Art Farmer, Clifford Brown, early Rosie Clooney, and many more that were so great in the 40s through the early 70s.

And I am a bit sorry to say, I have seen more than I have listed and cannot instantly recall them....but all part of being an old fart, my sons call it O.F.S., Old Fart Syndrome.

It would be good to hear from members about your live music experiences. 


jusam

Cream.  In Sutton Town Hall (south London).  An 'intimate' small venue.

Who could believe three guys could make so much music?  Indeed, so much noise with the small 100 wat amps of the time.

Seemed like there were about five of them.

Beatles--August 15, 1966--DC Stadium (RFK now)

Rolling Stones--July 4, 1966--The Dome, VA Beach (Long gone, alas...)

Ray Charles--June 29, 1963--The Dome, VA Beach

The Monkees--July 8, 1967--Jacksonville Auditorium (JIMI HENDRIX was introduced as "a guitar player from England" and was SECOND BILL.  Micky Dolenz fell off the stage at one point.

Jimi Hendrix--May 9, 1967--Charlotte Coliseum--(CHICAGO (Transit Authority in those days) was introduced by Jimi as a "great new band)

Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Loggins & Messina--Tampa Stadium--July 4, 1976

(Hotel California/Rumors tour--pretty amazing).

 

Lots more, and I keep ALL my ticket stubs, but these are memorable.  At my school, UNC-Chapel Hill, we had $2.00 concerts during the week sometimes at a small venue (Memorial Hall, I think) and we saw James Brown and the Famous Flames and Little Anthony and the Imperials.  I think it sat about 400 people.

 

James Taylor 

Linkin Park

Cat Stevens

Pink Floyd / Roger Waters solo

Santana

The Smiths

I also saw the Eagles but was not aware of it as the concert was a Linda Ronstadt one...and they sounded great.

I've seen a lot of shows but I have to say I'm beyond impressed with some of these lists. Here are a few of my memorable nights--not necessarily the biggest bands but the shows that stay with me:

X (1981, I think; I've since interviewed John Doe a couple times)

Husker Du (also around 1981, when they were hardcore and LOUD and ferocious)

Stevie Ray Vaughan (early 80s, in a club; absolutely smoking)

The Dead (1978, my first of countless Dead shows)

Jean Redpath, late 70s; beautiful

The Takacs Quartet (Bartok cycle; NYC; brilliant)

Trey Anastasio (with classic TAB, small club; jam city)

Bill Monroe (the man, the myth, the legend)

The Furors (anyone from New Haven?)

Gang of Four (1982?)

The Stones (2012, Boston Garden, my son's first concert!)

Lou Reed (small club, with Robert Quine; Lou made lots of eye contact with everyone)