I imagine many of us have been to a rock performance before. But the truth is, some performances are much better than others. Being a musician and loving music as I do , I have been to many concerts in my time. Some enormous. Some tiny. Some with well known rock stars. And some with new bands on their way up.
Here's some of the finest concerts I've seen and some things I learned about seeing a performance on the way.
Larger Isn't Always Better
I have been to some massive shows, including the mummy of all concerts Woodstock. Though that show was excellent, the incontrovertible fact that it was very big was not the reason I loved it. It's likely the incontrovertible fact that Woodstock was beyond control that made it interesting and fun. The chaos surrounding the over-crowded, food-less, no-place-to-go-to-the-bathroom scene, was what made it memorable. We all made the very best of an awkward situation. We all subconsciously agreed to make is something none of us would ever forget. I suspect that's a very important lesson.
As far as surprising smaller performances, one of the greatest performances I saw was Little Feat at my college, University of Massachusetts, back around 1974. The band wasn't yet favored and the concert was attended only by a couple of hundred folk, but it was plain this was a great band on the way up. The concert was held in the Student Union Ballroom. It might probably hold only 500-600 folk when full.
And this room held many shows while I was in class there in the 60's and 70's. I also saw Jonathan Edwards, Bo Diddley, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Hound Dog Taylor in this hall, among many others.
Another small concert that was unusual for me was seeing The Nazz at The Tea Party in Boston. The Nazz was Todd Rundgren's first band and, like many bands I loved, were not super popular but had some great tunes. They had Hello It's Me which later would be re-done by Todd Rundgren as a solo artist and be a big hit for him. At the time, Nazz was dynamic and that show was seen by less than 20 folk. I think the band was a bit in shock, but still put on a brilliant performance.
My First Concert
If you adore music you always remember your first massive rock show. Mine was seeing The Kingsmen at The Surf in Nantasket Beach slightly to the south of Boston in around 1965. The Kingsmen had the big garage rock hit, Louie Louie, so actually seeing them was special. But even this show was comparatively tiny. The Surf only held around 1000 people. Today a band with a triumph like that would be playing to 30-40,000 folk at a time.
But almost all of my concerts back then were in little clubs seeing local or regional bands. Still those shows were always memorable to me and a big part of why I turned into a musician.
So over the years I saw many shows. Here's a few of the highlights I remember...
- The Allman Brothers at Orpheum in Boston around 1971.
- Boz Scaggs, Curtis Mayfield and Brewer and Shipley at an outside UMass concert in 1970.
- Allman Bros and Bonnie Raitt at UMass Alumni Stadium in about 1980. What was special about this day was both The Allman's and Bonnie Raitt showed up and jammed with NRBQ later that night at a little club called The Rusty Nail in Hadley Mass.
- Any NRBQ show at The Rusty Nail.
- B.B. King Live at the NAMM show playing to about 20 people in a back room. (Don't get me started about the performances I saw at the National Association of Music Merchant's conventions)
OK I could go on for a considerable time, I have seen so many great live shows. Hope that affects you to make your own list of your favourite concerts.
Here's some of the finest concerts I've seen and some things I learned about seeing a performance on the way.
Larger Isn't Always Better
I have been to some massive shows, including the mummy of all concerts Woodstock. Though that show was excellent, the incontrovertible fact that it was very big was not the reason I loved it. It's likely the incontrovertible fact that Woodstock was beyond control that made it interesting and fun. The chaos surrounding the over-crowded, food-less, no-place-to-go-to-the-bathroom scene, was what made it memorable. We all made the very best of an awkward situation. We all subconsciously agreed to make is something none of us would ever forget. I suspect that's a very important lesson.
As far as surprising smaller performances, one of the greatest performances I saw was Little Feat at my college, University of Massachusetts, back around 1974. The band wasn't yet favored and the concert was attended only by a couple of hundred folk, but it was plain this was a great band on the way up. The concert was held in the Student Union Ballroom. It might probably hold only 500-600 folk when full.
And this room held many shows while I was in class there in the 60's and 70's. I also saw Jonathan Edwards, Bo Diddley, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Hound Dog Taylor in this hall, among many others.
Another small concert that was unusual for me was seeing The Nazz at The Tea Party in Boston. The Nazz was Todd Rundgren's first band and, like many bands I loved, were not super popular but had some great tunes. They had Hello It's Me which later would be re-done by Todd Rundgren as a solo artist and be a big hit for him. At the time, Nazz was dynamic and that show was seen by less than 20 folk. I think the band was a bit in shock, but still put on a brilliant performance.
My First Concert
If you adore music you always remember your first massive rock show. Mine was seeing The Kingsmen at The Surf in Nantasket Beach slightly to the south of Boston in around 1965. The Kingsmen had the big garage rock hit, Louie Louie, so actually seeing them was special. But even this show was comparatively tiny. The Surf only held around 1000 people. Today a band with a triumph like that would be playing to 30-40,000 folk at a time.
But almost all of my concerts back then were in little clubs seeing local or regional bands. Still those shows were always memorable to me and a big part of why I turned into a musician.
So over the years I saw many shows. Here's a few of the highlights I remember...
- The Allman Brothers at Orpheum in Boston around 1971.
- Boz Scaggs, Curtis Mayfield and Brewer and Shipley at an outside UMass concert in 1970.
- Allman Bros and Bonnie Raitt at UMass Alumni Stadium in about 1980. What was special about this day was both The Allman's and Bonnie Raitt showed up and jammed with NRBQ later that night at a little club called The Rusty Nail in Hadley Mass.
- Any NRBQ show at The Rusty Nail.
- B.B. King Live at the NAMM show playing to about 20 people in a back room. (Don't get me started about the performances I saw at the National Association of Music Merchant's conventions)
OK I could go on for a considerable time, I have seen so many great live shows. Hope that affects you to make your own list of your favourite concerts.
About the Author:
Rick Honeyboy Hart is a longtime blues guitar player. He teaches blues guitar on his website and writes about live shows like seeing B.B. King live.
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