Survey - what band/performers would you go back in time to see?

Cafe Society
1

Missus Coder and I had 2 other couples over for dinner over the weekend, and this subject came up. What 3 performers, bands, or groups that no longer perform or exist would you go back in time to see? They might no longer be performing because the group broke up, or some members are dead, or they’ve retired from public lift. The only qualification is that you can’t get a ticket for their show, noway, nohow.

One of the first suggestions was to go see the Beatles. But that got shot down pretty quickly. A bunch of their shows were so full of crazy screaming teenage girls that you couldn’t see or hear the show in the first place - all you heard was screaming.

My list ended up being Peter, Paul, and Mary; Harry Chapin; and the Grateful Dead. What’s yours?

2

Queen, with Freddie Mercury in his prime.

Jimi Hendrix.

Johnny Cash, in his prime. (I did get to see him with The Highwaymen around 1994 or so, but he was already considerably slowed.)

3

Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Lynyrd Skynyrd (original lineup), The Doors

4

Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Doors (good call Oak) and pretty much any classic rock band.

5

Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Bobby Darin in the Copa days.

6

Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan for sure.

Maybe the Who (but not in Cincinnati) and Prince and the Revolution.

7

The Beatles, The Who, The Bonzo Dog Band.

I have seen Pink Floyd, the Allman Brothers, Jethro Tull, Mountain, Sha Na Na, The Beach Boys, and Jefferson Airplane in their prime, and Peter Paul and Mary and Ray Charles a little past their prime (but still great in concert).

8

Stevie Ray, Humble Pie, Frank Zappa (although I did see Frank three times)

9

Son House, an MC5/Stooges double header, the Saints, and Turbonegro right after Apocalypse Dudes came out. Maybe some early Dylan gigs.

I also wouldn’t have minded being in the crowd the first time Beethoven’s Piano Sonata #14 was performed publicly.

10

I’ll second Queen with Freddy Mercury.

Peter Gabriel-era Genesis

The Who with Keith Moon ( I’ve seen them with the other 3 original members several times)

Nirvana

The Beatles in Hamburg

AC/DC with Bon Scott

11

February 12, 1924 (good timing for this thread) at Aeolian Hall in New York City; the premier of Rhapsody in Blue, with George Gershwin at the piano.

Bobby Darin at the Copa sounds good.

And something more modern, too; possibly Dire Straits or The Who, but I don’t know which era.

12

Except for Skynyrd, this. Plus Jefferson Airplane. I’d go back to the 60s and be at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go every night.

13

Beatles, Hendrix, Doors and Creedence for starters. I’ve seen The Who many times, but I’d love to go back and see them during their residency at The Marquee.

14

Pink Floyd

Queen

Josephine Baker

15

For those of you answering Pink Floyd, what era?

16

The Beatles
The Doors
I don’t really have a third. AC/DC with Bon Scott is a great choice by ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness though.

17

1960’s to present day: I’ve seen every performer and group I would have wanted to, including/especially The Beatles (in 1965, at age fourteen),
with one huge exception: Duane Allman, who appeared on my radar 4 months after he’d died. One of the very greatest instrumentalists of the 20th century. Damn.

Before 1960:
**Art Tatum
George Gershwin
**

.

18

:smack: Oops, missed the limit of just 3 bands in the OP. I’ll have to cut Creedence and the 'Orrible 'Oo.

19

The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Elvis. I saw the Beatles at Comiskey Park, and all you heard was screaming, but I saw them the next year at the International Amphitheater and it was fine for most songs.

Just edited - I will give up the Beatles for Queen with Freddie Mercury. And I want young, healthy Elvis.

20

Another vote for Genesis in the Gabriel/Hackett era.

Little Feat when Lowell George was still alive.

Uncle Tupelo.