I’ve been posting a lot of music-centric stuff lately-either because I’ve been garnering inspiration from certain tunes or just because it makes me happy. Regardless of how downright gritty or lonely our lives might be right now, music always has the power to lift us up and take us away for awhile.
When I post something about a group or performer, inevitably I’ll get a comment from someone who was fortunate enough to see that act in person. I’m always so jealous.
Growing up in the Texas panhandle without much money, I didn’t always have opportunities to see artists perform live. I’m grateful for the ones I did see: Huey Lewis and the News, Three Dog Night, the Cowsills, Foghat, Marshall Tucker Band, Garth Brooks, and The Chicks among others, but I’ll always wish I could’ve seen The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, Chicago, and Justin Bieber. (Okay, I threw Justin in just to see if you were paying attention. I have no interest in seeing him; although, having once been a teen-aged girl, I get it his appeal.)
What group or artist have you dreamed of seeing live but never had the opportunity or the means to do so? What’s the best act you ever saw perform live? Did you ever do anything crazy to get tickets? I mowed lawns for two months to save up for Huey Lewis—and I was a grown woman.
Most importantly, do you think we’ll ever get to go to concerts again?
Peace, people.
Praying for Eyebrowz 
The Beatles did once come to my home town way back when I was too young to get to see them, the seats all got torn up by the screaming fans and the council frowned. But that was in a time when artists came here. The only venu at that time was not the best… a kind of unforgiving Victorian concert hall. So, for along time the bands were few and far between. I did Elton John there and got his autograph when he was touring Rocket Man. And Tom Paxton, far later Bryan Ferry, the Proclaimers and Deacon Blue, whose front man we know from way back. We’ve also been to london for concerts by big names. Now we have an outdoor space that doubles as park space, a lot of bands and big names come. But we have got right into the live music scene I think cos for many years the city hosted a huge Blues Bonanza festival, where acts came from all over the world to play the pubs and clubs, attracting aton of visitors. That got scaled back eventually but still runs as the Almost Blue Fest. We also, on a good year, take in the Mardi Gras through at the Grassmarket in Edinburgh and various local fund raising beer fests, or just a pub if there’s music on. Heading to Glencoe this weekend but the live music there is on hold right now which is a shame cos there is nowt like a Saturday night in the Boots Bar. You might say we loves our live music we does. BUT lady, you have seen some great acts there. maybe not all the ones you’d liked to have had on your list but some class acts.
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I love this. My husband isn’t s big music fan, so if I want to go to a concert I have to either cajole him for months in advance, go by myself, or find a friend to go with me. I’ve been known to go alone if I have to.
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That’s a shame Leslie. My mr loves music and we’ve had some great times going to live stuff, sometimes with friends, always a great time . Now if only we lived closer.
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I know!!!
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I love to go to concerts and have been fortunate enough to see quite a few! My all time top favorites were Chicago, Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Eagles, K.C. and the Sunshine Band and Moody Blues. Oh I can’t leave out the Temptations, the Four Tops and John Denver back in the 70’s. The most boring ones I have ever been to were Bob Dylan (no personality) and Santana (the songs all sounded the same after a while). The group I did not get to see that I would have loved to see is Queen.
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That’s an awesome list! Oh how I’d love to have seen all of those. Even Dylan. Folks tell me the best way to see Dylan is in a small venue. They say once most of the crowd has dispersed is when he’s at his best.
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Wow, you’ve made my brain hurt this morning trying to remember who I’ve seen in concert over the years… Neil Diamond, Peter Frampton, the Eagles, Rush, Phil Collins…I know I’m missing others from various state fair concerts… Will I go again? Probably not although I dream about it on occasion!
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Frampton! Oh my!!! Lucky lucky girl!
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Such a huge arena. Without the jumbotron thing he was simply a teeny speck with frizzy blond hair from the nosebleed section I was in!
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That’s how I saw Three Dog Night.
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As soon as there’s a concert that I want to go to I’ll be there.
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You’re braver than I am.
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Nah…different perspective. Not doing things I love is death to me. You ride a motorcycle. Never in a million years would I do that…I consider you brave
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Beep beep!
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😉
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Chris Barber with Ottilie Patterson probably the best seen
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Now I have to research them! Thanks.
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You’re such a doll! Thank you.
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🙂
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Justin? lol (OMG…)
I saw Billy Joel in concert.
Kim Mitchell played a free concert at a park near my home (I’m not a fan, but we went anyway because free).
I also saw, a few months before he died at a local free summer festival near my home, Jeff Healy. His show was very popular and amazing! We sat in the grass, the children were dancing, it was wonderful. A few months later he passed away. 😦
I’d love to see Aerosmith, or maybe Bon Jovi but I’d worry I’d lose what’s left of my hearing. And Bryan Adams. 🙂
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Oh. Billy Joel! He’s something else. Lucky you.
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I think some of my best or most memorable concert experiences were because of the people in the audience as opposed to the band on the stage. I’ve seen a handful of big names like Pink Floyd (FRONT ROW!!! and one of the more fun audience antics events) and Elton John and a slew of smaller, lesser known artists over the years. If I had to pick a favorite, though, I’d have to say Tori Amos (I’ve seen her perform 3 times) simply because it is amazing to see that level of passion, energy, and skill all wrapped in a single package. I would have loved to have been able to see the Bee Gees, but that sadly won’t ever happen now. The older I got, the less I enjoyed concerts because apparently I’m becoming THAT old lady where it was just too loud (even though I can listen to ear drum shattering loud in the car and at home), so I doubt I’d go to another one unless the circumstances were just right.
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Front row for Pink Floyd!!! Holy cow.
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It was an absolute fluke. I was originally supposed to go with a friend that had tickets (way up in nosebleed area), but we had a falling out and I wasn’t going to go. The day of, my manager at the time had a friend that got tickets through some radio connections he had but my manager didn’t want to go so offered for me to go in her place. It was really kind of wild because I didn’t even know her friend at all, but I wasn’t going to pass that up and I had an amazing time. The downside to sitting that close was you missed out on a lot of the cool effects they did in concert at the time, but I did get to see the singer mouth to the guy standing on his chair a row behind me “nice dress”. It was one of those experiences that I look back on and kind of question whether it actually ever happened because it was so surreal. I double checked the dates and I’m pretty sure it was their final tour that I got to see.
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Wow!!!
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We still have Steve Hackett tickets from March on our fridge that was postponed. He’s supposedly coming back next year around the same time, so I opted to keep the tickets in place (they offered a refund but I decided to be optimistic). I miss concerts too.
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Fingers crossed!!
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