Concerts

Top Ten Concerts That I've Seen

I love going to concerts. My first was Jethro Tull back in 1978. I've been to many since then, and still go several times a year when I can.  Some of the concerts were very good, some were very bad, and the ones listed below stand out in my memory. Hopefully, you were at the show too.

My Number 1 choice:

The Rolling Stones and J. Geils - Olympic Stadium, Munich, Germany. Worked my way to front row center, and was almost crushed to death by 50,000 screaming Germans. The Stones came on with "Under My Thumb." How ironic.

Number 2:

Stevie Ray Vaughan and B.B. King - Red Rocks, Colorado. A dream come true - two of the greatest blues guitarists in the same billing at a wonderful venue. I'm glad I got to see SRV before he died. I'll never forget his scorching solo work on Texas Flood.

Number 3:

Allman Brothers - Tweeter Center (formerly Great Woods), Mansfield, Mass. I saw these guys at Great Woods for 6 years in a row. They could make one song last for days.  "Blue Sky" was always my favorite.  Alas, I will not be seeing them again anytime soon, since Dickie Betts is no longer in the band.  Now it's really just Gregg Allman and Friends.

Number 4:

Jethro Tull - Orpheum Theater, Boston, Mass. A great band in an intimate setting. They played two 1.5-hour sets with an intermission in between. Today, you're lucky if a band plays 1.5 hours total.  Sadly, Ian Anderson's voice is almost gone, but the talent remains.

Number 5:

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Tweeter Center, Mansfield, Mass. Tom Petty was the best concert I saw in 1999, and I've seen him a couple more times since. He and the Heartbreakers sound great, play all their good stuff, and are appreciative of their audience. An absolute class act.

Number 6:

Dave Matthews and Santana - Foxboro Stadium, Foxboro, Mass. A great day, and a superb concert. The average age in attendance was 16 though -- which was a plus, as no one was in the beer line. Musically, the two groups complemented themselves well.

Number 7:

Genesis - Foxboro Stadium, Foxboro, Mass. Phill Collins cannot dance. In fact, he's somewhat of an old, balding dork, but Genesis put on one helluva show, and Phil can still drum for sure.

Number 8:

Queen - Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine. I saw Queen on "The Game" tour, before Freddy bit the dust. Perhaps one of the best concert bands to ever take the stage.

Number 9:

Rush - Worcester Centrum, Worcester, Mass. While Rush doesn't put on much of a stage show, they are without a doubt the best (and most technically accurate) concert band in terms of reproducing exactly what they captured on their albums.

Number 10:

U2 - McNichols Arena, Denver Colorado. Alas, McNichols Arena is gone, but my memory of seeing U2 there is not. I saw them on St. Patrick’s Day; they came on with bagpipers, then launched into possibly their best show ever. This was back when U2 was fresh, not as commercial as they are now, and when Bono wasn't wearing bug-eyed sunglasses.