# If you could see ANY rock act in history.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 7, 2006, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489 "2006-07-07T12:56:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/61 "2006-07-08T15:58:37Z")
Mine would be The Grateful Dead…one more time, only this time with PigPen and maybe even Janis sitting in for a tune or 2… I DID get to see them (85 shows) with every other keyboardist but PigPen…I also got to see Lowel George and Little Feat on the “Waiting for Columbus” tour right before Lowels untimely departure… peace and Kind memories, tsfr ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/62 "2006-07-08T16:46:35Z")
[QUOTE=control-z] I’d love to have been at one of Johnny Cash’s prison shows, like when they recorded “Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.” Cept I wouldn’t want to have to be an inmate to see it. [/QUOTE] Guards and the warden saw the show also. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/63 "2006-07-09T15:28:35Z")
AC/DC with Bon Scott, at some ratty club in Scotland. Iron Maiden with Paul DiAnno, at some ratty club in England. The Ramones at some ratty club in NYC. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/64 "2006-07-09T15:54:02Z")
Metallica with Cliff Burton–probably on the _Master of Puppets_ tour. ---
**Author:** ![Airblairxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Airblairxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airblairxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2006, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/65 "2006-07-12T22:17:36Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] Definitely The Clash and The Talking Heads. [/QUOTE] Seconded, both selections. Also the Replacements . . . oh, wait, shit, I DID see them live in Hollywood, circa 1991. OK, I just wish they were still together. Queen, Zeppelin, the Beatles’ aforementioned roof concert . . . that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/66 "2006-07-13T02:17:21Z")
Well, I had a seat in the _fourth row_ of a freakin’ movie theater and saw **Elvis** live in August of 1956. (I was 13 at the time) You hadda be there… it was something special. If I could pick only one, I’d want to do that one again! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/67 "2006-07-13T02:42:30Z")
The Doors ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/68 "2006-07-13T03:05:54Z")
Queen, Hendrix, Beatles, Doors, and the original Guess Who–in that order. If I could again see a group I’ve seen before it would be The Who. I saw them the night before I went into the Army. The energy those guys put out was enormous. The warm up band went off. Then _all_ of the houselights went out. Pure black. The crowd starts yelling. Then, one bright white spotlight pinpoints Daltrey on stage. The crowd erupts in cheers. Daltry is just standing there, still, with his head down, and holding up one hand. The crowd stills. Daltrey slowly raises his head, takes a deep breath, rares back and… **"SEE ME…!!!"** Wow. Pure fucking rock and roll wow. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/69 "2006-07-13T04:07:32Z")
Pink Floyd: Atom Heart Mother on acid ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/70 "2006-07-13T04:35:54Z")
**Elvis** , surely. _Circa_ 1955. Or **Jerry Lee Lewis** in his heyday. I would say **The Clash** , but their live performances didn’t seem so ipressive from the footage I’ve seen. Maybe **The Ramones** or **Talking Heads** at CBGB. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/71 "2006-07-13T06:33:53Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] I would say **The Clash** , but their live performances didn’t seem so ipressive from the footage I’ve seen. [/QUOTE] Oh, ho–not so fast, there. I caught the “London Calling” tour(or whatever it was called) in San Fransisco. Tremendous show. The energy that night was fantastic! ---
**Author:** ![Seymour\_Gams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@Seymour\_Gams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seymour_Gams)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/72 "2006-07-13T07:53:09Z")
XTC, Queen, and Kate Bushare definitely up there but I would have to go with The Plasmatics. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/73 "2006-07-13T10:16:05Z")
Buffalo Springfield. They must have been amazing live. or Hendrix - the night he recorded “Band of Gypsies” mm ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2006, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/74 "2006-07-13T14:39:22Z")
[QUOTE=mamboman] Buffalo Springfield. They must have been amazing live. [/QUOTE] I saw Buffalo Springfield “open” for the Beach Boys (I think) at Houston’s Coliseum & was not extremely impressed, 'tho I loved (& love) their records. But the Coliseum was not that great a venue. The Springfield played LA’s Whiskey a Go Go for 7 weeks in 1966, before they got a contract. All accounts call that series of concerts “legendary.” (If I had a time machine…) My wish? The Allman Brothers Band before Duane died. While we’ve got the time machine warmed up, why not skip back to Paris in the 30’s? See what the boys at the Hot Club de France are up to… ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/75 "2006-07-14T09:50:27Z")
A couple of folk-rock acts for me:- **Mr Fox** - Only lasted about 18 months and were vary variable live but at their best were _brilliant_. (or so I’ve heard). The Ashley Hutchings/Martin Carthy lineup of **Steeleye Span**. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/76 "2006-07-14T15:38:24Z")
In order of preference / regret-that-I-never-saw-them-live … Queen Pink Floyd Supertramp Led Zeppelin Pretenders In order of grateful-that-I-saw-them-live in their prime … Chicago (just upon release of Chicago III) Blood, Sweat, and Tears Chase Harry Chapin (with the exception of Harry on this list, is it obvious I’m a trumpeter?) ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2006, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489/77 "2006-07-14T16:50:54Z")
I’d like to see some early Genesis, as I’ve heard their concerts were quite the spectacle [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-see-any-rock-act-in-history/363489.md?page=3)