[NavyVet]

I was too young for Woodstock. In the '70's in high school, I went on a field trip to a NY Philharmonic concert and was blown away. It cemented my decision to become a music major. In the 80's I was into hard rock and mostly jazz, but hardly ever got to go to a live concert. As a musician, it took a lot to impress me; I preferred intricate rhythms and progressions, instrumental over vocals, was always analyzing what I listened to. Listened to a lot of Weather Report, Matrix, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Gerry Mulligan, Frank Zappa, Led Zeppelin, the Who and enjoyed a wide variety from Renaissance to Stravinski, Melanie to Black Sabbath, bagpipe music to Balinese Gamelan orchestras. LOL
My favorite live performances were Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, and Chuck Mangione. I also got to sit 3 feet in front of Sonny Stit in a intimate little club/bar in Orlando. He even talked to us between tunes.
In the 90's I saw Tower of Power, BB King, Blast! and Riverdance. All were awesome shows.
Probably performed thousands of gigs throughout the 80's, even worked with a couple of celebrities on stage, like Richard Simmons and Barbara Mandrell. To this day I still have a really eclectic taste, always looking for the unusual, off the beaten path; from soothing New Age to Celtic and even the occasional heavy metal. (Favorite artists: David Arkenstone, Andreas Vollenweider, Enya, Loreena McKennitt, Faun, Mannheim Steamroller, Two Steps From Hell.) :-)

[John_W]

Originally Posted by NavyVet

...My favorite live performances were Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, and Chuck Mangione. I also got to sit 3 feet in front of Sonny Stit in a intimate little club/bar in Orlando. He even talked to us between tunes.
In the 90's I saw Tower of Power, BB King, Blast! and Riverdance. All were awesome shows.
Probably performed thousands of gigs throughout the 80's, even worked with a couple of celebrities on stage, like Richard Simmons and Barbara Mandrell. To this day I still have a really eclectic taste, always looking for the unusual, off the beaten path; from soothing New Age to Celtic and even the occasional heavy metal. (Favorite artists: David Arkenstone, Andreas Vollenweider, Enya, Loreena McKennitt, Faun, Mannheim Steamroller, Two Steps From Hell.) :-)

In my record store in the 80's we played the usual rock that was current Def Leppard, Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest, U2, REM, Pink Floyd and whatever else was current. Sometimes I would put on Pat Metheny on the store speakers whenever I felt the time was right. Before I did, I always made sure we had at least 2 or 3 copies in stock, because people would come over and say, who is that, and they all sell?

.

[txfan]

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Jungleland (Live in New York City) - YouTube

[tfa4755]

Jethro Tull Chicago stadium 1972. I ha 5th row seats!

[sharonl7340]

LOVED Ken Hensley and Uriah Heep!

[LiverpoolWalrus]

Originally Posted by John_W

Most people my age, our age, were watching Ed Sullivan in February 1963 and watched the Beatles.

For the record, the Beatles' first appearance on Ed Sullivan was February 9, 1964. I'm glad to be able to say I saw it, and you're right, it changed the lives of many of us.

[alwann]

Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD., summer of 1969. Front row seats for Led Zeppelin & The Who. I was virtually deaf for two days afterward.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

I just remembered...Johnny Cash made a surprise appearance at the Club 407 at RAF Chicksands in 1968. None of us realized we were seeing an icon in the making. Alcohol was 25 cents a shot. Last call was around midnight but the club closed at 2 am, hence a typical last call order was up to a dozen drinks per patron....but I remember the event nonetheless.

[Ken24]

While in the Air Force in West Germany went to the Rock am Ring, Nürburgring for David Bowie, the Glass Spider Tour. The two day concert was great it rained on us and the muddy ground was terrible but what a great time. Two days of music with the Eurythmics closing the first night and David closing the second.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by LiverpoolWalrus

For the record, the Beatles' first appearance on Ed Sullivan was February 9, 1964. I'm glad to be able to say I saw it, and you're right, it changed the lives of many of us.

You're right, Kennedy was Killed Nov '63, and the Beatles were the picker upper the country needed. I remember watching all 3 appearances, I was in the 8th grade and really never paid attention to music until then. We had a station in St. Pete, WFSO AM that played nothing but the Beatles non-stop for a week. A really great station for a dozen years, but fell to the wayside as FM took over in the mid 70's. I mostly bought 45's like a lot of kids, but the first LP I bought was Sgt Pepper, the second was Spirit S/T debut and third was Grand Funk On Time.

youtube Spirit Mechanical World

[queasy27]

Originally Posted by Troy8432

It’s obscure and possibly weird, but my first and best was Pablo Cruise at Spragins Hall on the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 1982

Lifeline is one of my favorite albums to rock out to. I can't sing a lick, so only when I'm alone.

Now that you brought it up, I just asked Alexa to play: "(I Think) It's Finally Over" is on max volume.

[LiverpoolWalrus]

Originally Posted by John_W

You're right, Kennedy was Killed Nov '63, and the Beatles were the picker upper the country needed. I remember watching all 3 appearances, I was in the 8th grade and really never paid attention to music until then. We had a station in St. Pete, WFSO AM that played nothing but the Beatles non-stop for a week. A really great station for a dozen years, but fell to the wayside as FM took over in the mid 70's. I mostly bought 45's like a lot of kids, but the first LP I bought was Sgt Pepper, the second was Spirit S/T debut and third was Grand Funk On Time.

youtube Spirit Mechanical World

Yeah! Thanks for the shout out to Spirit! Such a fantastic but grossly underrated band. Not a bad song on any of their first four albums. How many bands can you say that about? They were like Traffic. Could never figure out why those two bands didn't get the acclaim they deserved.

Here's proof that Led Zeppelin loved Spirit, too, but never gave them credit:

Spirit - Taurus - YouTube

[rockandroller]

OMG, I forgot about this

Tower of Power - What Is Hip? (Social Distancing Style)

Huge smile. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Navy Vet.

[rockandroller]

And, added some Tower of Power here

https://thevillagerockers.com/songs-submitted/

Love'n it.

It is SO DOWN!

[John_W]

Originally Posted by LiverpoolWalrus

...Here's proof that Led Zeppelin loved Spirit, too, but never gave them credit:

Spirit - Taurus - YouTube

That's the heirs of Randy California (Randy Wolf) suing over that song. I don't see enough there, and apparently Randy didn't either, why didn't he sue when was alive. He's been dead 20 years and they'll still trying to make money off of 2 minutes of instrumental music he did 50 years.