# Which bands/artists have you seen live? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2004, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248 "2004-06-14T05:14:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/61 "2004-06-15T03:56:52Z")
Knew I’d forget some: 1. The Rembrandts 2. Donny Osmond 3. Jack Blades 4. Jude Cole 5. The Triplets ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/62 "2004-06-15T04:27:30Z")
> [@Silver Fire](#): > > **Ozzfest** > Black Sabbath, Korn, System of a Down, Chevelle, Slipknot, Godsmack, POD (P.O.D? I have no idea), umm, crap. There are a whole bunch more, including about a billion forgetable second-stagers. I’ve been to 3 or 4 Ozzfests. Marilyn Manson, Adema, Deftones, ummm… crap. :smack: Damn my bad memory. Good thread though. You guys have seen TONS of shows! ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/63 "2004-06-15T04:37:02Z")
Here’s my list as I recall it, in roughly chronological order: Huey Lewis & the News Phil Collins Night Ranger (they sucked back in '87 too) Bon Jovi The Doobie Brothers Journey The Steve Miller Band ZZ Top The Tubes Van Halen The Scorpions Metallica Europe Tesla Def Leppard Lynyrd Skynyrd George Thorogood Yes Pink Floyd The Who The Rolling Stones Michael Bolton Ringo Starr & His All-Star Band (version 2) Sarah Brightman Big Bad Voodoo Daddy ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/64 "2004-06-15T04:40:57Z")
I forgot a few: Aerosmith Guns ‘N’ Roses Chicago Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young I also forgot to answer the second question: Which was my favorite? I’ll have to say Pink Floyd. It was their “reunion” tour in 1987. We had seats in row 4 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena. Honorable mentions go to Lynyrd Skynyrd, Chicago, Sarah Brightman, and Yes ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/65 "2004-06-15T04:44:09Z")
_Sigh_ Dammit… 1. Tesla 2. Ratt 3. Pretty Boy Floyd ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/66 "2004-06-15T05:16:52Z")
**Cilibri** has the most impressive list, by far! Me? Been to too many to list here, and most have been named already. But I’ll go with some highlights: Rolling Stones, the night Axl Rose melted down during the opening act. Rush, back-to-back shows in LA and San Diego. Both awsome! Hem. Free show, never heard of them, but they were very good. Yes, in Vegas. Almost nobody came and it was fabulous. Neil Young. Half electric, half acoustic. Like going to church. Pearl Jam. 3 times, all good. 2 shows back-to-back and very different sets. ZZ Top. Always a party! The Dead. Was at every show they played at the Silver Bowl in Vegas. They were all very good, especially the one during the thunder storm. Sting at the Hollywood Bowl on his birthday. Andy Summers guest appeared. I won the trip from Vegas for the bus ride down and I was recovering from a very bad accident. Was a very good show and almost “healing”. Brought my spirits up greatly. Many, many more, but I’ve been drinking and am too lazy to type more. Regrets: Not seeing Stevie Ray at the Greek theater. I figured, “Aw, I’ll go next time he’s in town.” ☹ Not seeing The Black Crowes, before the first album, at a tiny club in Vegas. Dumb, dumb, dumb! Getting too drunk while having back stage passes to meet Veruca Salt. All I managed to do was get an autograph and yell, “You guys ROCK!” :rolleyes: Dumbass! Not seeing STP when I had the chance. Missing Los Lonely Boys for some stupid livestock emergency. Damn sheep! Fun thread, but too many to list and it dates us old farts! And Creedence Clearwater Revisited ain’t no tribute band! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![angelicate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@angelicate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/angelicate)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/67 "2004-06-15T06:16:41Z")
311 (x3) A Perfect Circle Tori Amos (x3) Anthrax Anti Flag Bauhaus Beatmistress Bratmobile Cake (x2) Cirrus Clutch Cracker The Cure (x2) Danzig Dead Voices on Air The Devlins Neil Diamond The Donnas Dropkick Murphys (w/ Lars Frederiksen) Bob Dylan Fantomas Fear Factory Femi Kuti Ben Folds Frontline Assembly G. Love and Special Sauce Godhead Goldfinger Green Day GWAR Iggy Pop Iron Maiden The Hackensaw Boys Jack Off Jill Jane’s Addiction Jude Kid Rock Korn L7 (w/ Exene Cervenka @ SXSW) (x3) Aimee Jane Lane Less Than Jake Live (x2, again, unfortunately) Megadeth Meg Lee Chin Metallica The Melvins Mighty Mighty Bosstones Ministry Misfits Monster Magnet (x2, unfortunately) Motley Crue Motorhead Nashville Pussy Dave Navarro Willie Nelson New Found Glory (a very little bit of) Nickelback (man, I hate this band) Nine Inch Nails No Doubt Pearl Jam (x4) Powerman 5000 Primal Scream Psychotica Pushmonkey Puya Red Hot Chili Peppers Seven Mary Three Smashing Pumpkins Spahn Ranch Speeddealer Stone Temple Pilots Supagroup Supergrass Supersuckers (w/ Duff Mckagen!) Swingin’ Utters Switchblade Symphony The Teen Idols Tesla Three Doors Down Thrill Kill Kult (x2) Toadies Tool (x2) Travis Tuuli Two Ton Boa The Unband Vallejo Roger Waters Ween Weezer (x2) Wellwater Conspiracy Dwight Yoakam Zeke Rob Zombie (x2) Various local bands and opening bands that I’ve forgotten. Favorites: Pearl Jam, L7, Cake, Ween, The Cure ---
**Author:** ![angelicate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@angelicate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/angelicate)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/68 "2004-06-15T06:18:39Z")
Oops. Pearl Jam x5. I forgot the most recent one. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/69 "2004-06-15T07:00:50Z")
Cream (fairwell tour) The Who (many, 1st time '68 in a place no bigger than a bar, Magic Bus tour) Led Zeplin (fairwell tour) Frank Zappa (many, plus fairwell tour) Canned Heat Moody Blues (many) Jethro Tull (many) Lynyrd Skynyrd (opened for the Who) Living Colour (opened for the Stones) Rolling Stones (many) Grateful Dead (many) Fleetwood Mac (many) Dr. John Willie Nelson (many) Waylon Jennings (many) Johnny Cash Ray Charles Van Morrison David Allen Coe Jimmy Buffett (many) The Black Crowes (opened for ZZ Top) ZZ Top Merle Haggard George Jones Frank Sanatra Eric Burdon Weird Al Tommy James Gordon Lightfoot John Mellencamp Bob Dylan Gary Lewis and the Playboys The Guess Who Robin Trower Mountain Chubby Checker Fats Domino John Lee Hooker Blue Oyster Cult Jefferson Starship Joe Cocker Commander Cody (many) kd lang Leon Russel (many, including this Thursday) Buddy Guy (many) Billy Joel George Thorogood Jerry Jeff Walker (many) Charlie Daniels (many) Cindi Lauper Elton John Dalai Lama (Does he count?) Probably others I was too wasted to remember. ---
**Author:** ![cmason32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@cmason32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmason32)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/70 "2004-06-15T07:36:17Z")
Dave Matthews Band (x21) Alanis Morrisette Lemonheads Rage Against the Machine Smashing Pumpkins Cypress Hill Tori Amos De La Soul A Tribe Called Quest No Doubt Sponge Erasure Dixie Chicks Duran Duran New Order Rusted Root Poi Dog Pondering Digable Planets Sugarcubes Gabriel & Dresden Also - am going to see Prince in 2 weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/71 "2004-06-15T09:51:45Z")
Here are some of the bands I’ve seen…I’m leaving out a bunch, but I suppose a list of about a hundred is good enough for now: A Midnite Choir Acid Mothers Temple Akimbo Alejandro Escovedo Anna Oxygen Arab Strap Artis the Spoonman B. B. King Baby Gramps Big Business Bill Frisell Bill Kirchen Blonde Redhead Blue Oyster Cult Bo Diddley Bobby Bare Jr. Brendan Perry (solo) Carla Torgerson (solo) Carolyn Mark Cheap Trick Chrome Circus Contraption Crooked Fingers Damien Jurado Death Cab for Cutie Devil Doll Diamond-Fist Werny Dick Dale Eartha Kitt Farflung Fred Eaglesmith Harvey Danger Hatebreed Heather Duby Helios Creed Huun-Huur-Tu IQU Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter Jethro Tull Jo Miller and Her Burly Roughnecks Joan Jett Johnny Dowd Kinski Kultur Shock Laura Veirs Laurie Anderson Mary Lou Lord Modest Mouse Motorhead Mum Neko Case Nick Cave Nik Turner Northern State Pressurehed Procol Harum Purty Mouth Rush Ryan Adams Sky Cries Mary Sleater-Kinney Sleep Southern Culture on the Skids SPIDeRBITeS Spiral Realms Stellastarr\* Steve Howe (solo) Suicide Jack Tanya Donelly Terry Lee Hale The Anubian Lights The Baptist Generals The Battlefield Band The Beach Boys The Blood Brothers The Damnations The Damo Suzuki Network The Dirty Three The Divorce The Dusty 45s The Kitchen Syncopators The Long Winters The Minus 5 The New Pornographers The Paperboys The Presidents of the United States of America The Raveonettes The Residents The Reverend Horton Heat The Secret Machines The Shins The Standard The Supersuckers The Trachtenberg Family Slide Show Players The Transmissionary Six The Walkabouts The Yes Yes Boys Tuatara United State of Electronica Visqueen Voyager One Wayne “The Train” Hancock X Yes ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/72 "2004-06-15T10:10:28Z")
I just started going so the list is small compared to …ummmmm…everyone, but here it is in order: Jeffrey Osbourne Ted Nugent :rolleyes: Brian Setzer/Bob Dylan Elton John Cheap Trick/Aerosmith Wierd Al Yeah. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CBCD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@CBCD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBCD)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/73 "2004-06-15T10:56:44Z")
**The Beatles**. ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/74 "2004-06-15T13:46:50Z")
> [@Treviathan](#): > > Spirit of the West Oh, yeah! Thanks for reminding me! I saw them open for The Tragically Hip in Latham, NY. The best live show of my life and I almost forgot who opened. There’s one more I should be ashamed that I forgot: Tori Amos - Darien Lake, NY - 1999 or 2000 w/ Alanis Morrisette (aka Big Mouth, per my sis-in-law) opening. ---
**Author:** ![Legolamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4491bb/32.png) [@Legolamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legolamb)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/75 "2004-06-15T13:48:33Z")
More than I can possibly begin to name or remember. Ah, the joys of having a parent working for a record company… Anyway, the one I wanted to post about was a performance by R.E.M. sometime after the release of Up for BBC Radio 1 in a tiny little hall in one of the Radio 1 buildings. 100 people from the UK fanclub, 25-30 people from the record company, me, and one hell of an atmosphere. Trust me when I say small, passionate audiences are much better than big ones. Plus, I got to talk to Michael Stipe about Indian food afterwards… ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/76 "2004-06-15T14:04:33Z")
I don’t go to concerts much, being a small person I usually only see people’s backs when everyone inevitably stands up. And I am always cursed with a bad singer sitting behind me who must sing along with every song. Andy Gibb (I was a teenager, shut up!) I have seen John Denver twice. Billy Joel Jimmy Buffet and Paul McCartney and Wings ---
**Author:** ![RogueRacer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RogueRacer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RogueRacer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/77 "2004-06-15T16:32:04Z")
I’m sure there is no way I could remember all of the bands I’ve seen, so I’ll just try to hit a few of the highlights and lowlights. **White Zombie** - Spending the entire show in the mosh pit other than beer and restroom breaks. There was so much energy being expended. Truly insane and memorable. I was sore for days afterward. 🙂 **Warrant** - Free show in Dallas Alley (an alley in Dallas, TX with no traffic allowed, just shops and restaurants) that got concerts banned from Dallas Alley for several years. Very fun. There were people climbing street lights, etc. **Van Halen** - Also a free show in Dallas Alley. This was one of the first shows the city allowed again after Warrant. VH was doing a makeup for a show a few years prior when Sammy’s voice gave out due to illness. They promised to come back and play for free. They did. This was absolutely nuts. There were probably 4x as many people as the Warrant show that got concerts banned in the first place. **Ronnie James Dio** - This was the last show of their tour. The roadies were having fun at the expense of all of the bands. This was the funniest concert that I have ever seen. RJD generally has a scowl and seems ticked off with everyone. He looked like he wanted to be mad at first, but even he had to laugh when several naked roadies rowing in a tub materialized out of the fog coming from the cave in the center stage. **Metallica** - One of their first shows of the tour for the black album. They were enthused and having fun. Awesome show. I saw them later on the same tour and they weren’t nearly as good. They were just going through the motions at that point. **Kiss** - I’ve seen them at least 4 times. The one that stands out is a night where it wasn’t a sell out. In fact, the stage was set up only using half of the auditorium. This made it feel packed, but very intimate at the same time. All of the band members were into it. Hell, Paul Stanley was even remembering to play guitar most of the night. Excellent! **They Might Be Giants** - I saw them in a theater in Dallas. This was the kind of place that normally put on things like Phantom of the Opera. It was funny seeing all of the wild hair, clothes, and piercings along with the very formal employees in tuxes. TMBG was a very fun band too! **Damn Yankees** - Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw, and Uncle Ted can all front a band. When you put all three of them on the same stage, it’s a fun time. On this night they were very “on”. They had the crowd eating from the palms of their hands. I have never seen the crowd at that venue more into a band. Ted then said he had a new song, a sexy little song. They started into Cat Scratch Fever (probably 20 years old at the time). lol! The crowd was so into it and trying to get at the stage that they tore down the barricade in front of the stage. The band was hustled out and not allowed to come back (they went to the next act). ☹ There are so many, many more… ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/78 "2004-06-15T16:34:09Z")
I’m sure to forget some, but among the acts I’ve seen… Asia Black Sabbath (Ronnie James Dio on vocals) Blue Oyster Cult Boston Cheap Trick Damn Yankees Neil Diamond Dio with opening act Dokken Bob Dylan with opening act Paul Simon (Simon was fine, Dylan sucked big time) Fabulous Thunderbirds Peter Gabriel Genesis (Abacab tour) Don Henley with opening act Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians Bruce Hornsby & the Range Whitney Houston Iron Maiden with opening act Saxon Jethro Tull with opening act Saga Billy Joel Elton John Judas Priest with opening act Cinderella King Crimson (Fripp/Belew/Levin/Bruford lineup) Greg Lake Julian Lennon Roger McGuinn Mike & the Mechanics Moody Blues with opening act the Fixx Roy Orbison Ozzy Osbourne with opening act UFO Jimmy Page & Robert Plant Itzakh Perlman (change of pace, there!) Pink Floyd (post-Roger Waters, on the Momentary Lapse of Reason tour) The Police at Shea Stadium, with opening act Joan Jett (I missed the first act, REM) Queen with opening act Billy Squier Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow with opening act the Scorpions Rush with opening act Tommy (Styx) Shaw Scorpions with opening act Great White Simon & Garfunkel at Central Park (me at 499,999 of my closest friends) Squeeze with opening act A Flock of Seagulls Squeeze with opening act the Hooters Triumph with opening act Foghat U2 Yes (Trevor Rabin era) ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/79 "2004-06-15T16:46:37Z")
Alan Parsons (Live) Project Rush (every tour since Presto in '89) Pink Floyd Jethro Tull Peter Gabriel (Us and Growing Up tours) Men at Work Huey Lewis and the News Cruciform Injection Billy Joel Yes (sort of–they were playing with Alan Parsons but we were hanging out backstage with AP and the band (along with the rest of the local fan club members) so we just _heard_ Yes) Weird Al Yankovic I think that’s it… ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248/80 "2004-06-15T16:50:22Z")
In no particular order… (\* indicates I liked the show…if 2x and \*\*, it means I liked both shows, etc.) U2 (2x)\*\* Sting (2x)\* Peter Gabriel\* REM (2x)\* Billy Bragg\* Ted Nugent\* Blue Oyster Cult\* Grateful Dead Stevie Ray Vaughan\* Moody Blues Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders\* Martin Sexton\* Suzanne Vega (2x)\*\* Shonan Knife\* Morphine (3x)\*\*\* big time Mighty Mighty Bosstones (2x)\*\* Fugazi\* The Cure INXS The Ramones (2x)\*\* AC/DC (2x)\*\* Van Hagar Kiss\* Kitchens of Distinction Paula Cole Elvis Costello\* Nick Lowe Bruce Cocburn\* Jim Infantino/Jim’s Big Ego (3x)\*\*\* The Indigo Girls Pink Floyd (post-Waters) Roger Waters House of Love Catharine Wheel\* Randy Newman\* Ritchie Havens Micheal Hedges\* Crosby Stills and Nash Niel Young\* Spin Doctors Blues Traveler There are most certainly more, but I can’t remember now…maybe I’ll update in a bit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-bands-artists-have-you-seen-live/250248.md?page=5)