# Which musical performance would you travel back in time for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 24, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033 "2016-04-24T21:47:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/1 "2016-04-24T21:47:17Z")
Inspired by this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=791201). The trip lasts a few hours, so there’s no time to attend an entire music festival, but this is an opportunity to see someone in their prime, or hear a performance that’s been lost to time. You can experience the trip from the perspective of someone from 2016, or all of your knowledge of current music can temporarily be erased, so that you could experience the performance the way the other attendees would. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/2 "2016-04-24T22:18:51Z")
The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. Although I probably couldn’t hear them over the sound of all those screaming teenage girls. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/3 "2016-04-24T22:19:21Z")
[Betty Davis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6OsV6HdDgo) And tell me I can bring cameras, There are no known recordings of any of her shows. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/4 "2016-04-24T22:23:59Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. Although I probably couldn’t hear them over the sound of all those screaming teenage girls. I’d go back a little further…try to catch them at the Cavern Club. ---
**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:** [April 24, 2016, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/5 "2016-04-24T22:26:08Z")
May 7th, 1964 at London’s Oldfield Hotel: Keith Moon plays with The Who for the first time. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/6 "2016-04-24T22:32:49Z")
The first performance of Handel’s **Messiah** is what leaped to my mind. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/7 "2016-04-24T22:38:13Z")
West, Bruce and Laing (West=guitarist for Mountain; Bruce=Jack Bruce from Cream, and Laing=drummer for Mountain) with The Edgar Winter Group (pre-Frankenstein fame-Dan Hartman on bass, Ronnie Montrose on guitar) as their front band. October, 1972, in Oklahoma City. I was there, but, I was a horny 16 year old, trying to get laid, so, I didn’t really appreciate it as I should. At that age, I just thought that I would catch their act the next time they came through (I know: idiot). I do know, however, that it was awesome, the likes of which shall not be seen again. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/8 "2016-04-24T22:47:12Z")
Just drop me at Winterland or Fillmore West some random evening. I’ll be good. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/9 "2016-04-24T23:43:28Z")
May 29, 1913 Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” debuts in Paris, to boos and hisses from the locals who made Le Petomane a star with his wide variety of fart sounds > **[The Rite of Spring | Premiere](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rite_of_Spring#Premiere)** > > Paris's Théâtre des Champs-Élysées was a new structure, which had opened on 2 April 1913 with a programme celebrating the works of many of the leading composers of the day. The theatre's manager, Gabriel Astruc, was determined to house the 1913 Ballets Russes season, and paid Diaghilev the large sum of 25,000 francs per performance, double what he had paid the previous year. The programme for 29 May 1913, as well as the Stravinsky premiere, included Les Sylphides, Weber's Le Spectre de la Ros On ... ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/10 "2016-04-24T23:54:00Z")
Any of the gigs from Jethro Tull shortly after Martin Barre joined; say January to April 1969. Scandinavia would be best but any of the US dates would work for me as well. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/11 "2016-04-25T00:07:32Z")
Out of abstract curiosity, a performance by one of the _castrati._ Jenny Lind. As an ex-band-geek, a performance by one of John Philip Sousa’s bands. The Beatles in Germany. Woodstock. And I would pay for a ticket! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/12 "2016-04-25T00:46:58Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > May 29, 1913 Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” debuts in Paris, to boos and hisses from the locals who made Le Petomane a star with his wide variety of fart sounds > > [The Rite of Spring - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rite_of_Spring#Premiere) That’s what I was going to mention. To the other extreme . . . I’ll go with the premier of Verdi’s \*Otello \*at La Scalla. It was the most instantaneous smashing success of all Verdi’s operas. I wouldn’t turn down a ticket to the premiere of Beethoven’s Ninth either. > [@mbh](#): > > Woodstock. And I would pay for a ticket! Already been there. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/13 "2016-04-25T00:52:23Z")
I keep hearing music critics say that Elvis Presley performed with a charisma that couldn’t be captured on records or video, so I’d like to see young Elvis live at his peak. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/14 "2016-04-25T00:56:13Z")
I’ve always been sad I missed Peter Schickele & Co. present the works of P.D.Q. Bach on stage. I understand the lasso d’amore needs to be seen to be truly appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/15 "2016-04-25T01:00:37Z")
I’d probably go back to see The Howlin’ Wolf. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/16 "2016-04-25T01:09:33Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > I’ve always been sad I missed Peter Schickele & Co. present the works of P.D.Q. Bach on stage. I understand the lasso d’amore needs to be seen to be truly appreciated. I saw him live twice, unfortunately after his age forced him to cut back on the physicality of his earlier shows. One of his performances with the St. Louis Symphony was stolen out from under him by the musician who was flagged for playing the sour note in _Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 With Commentary_ and responded with an epic temper tantrum. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/17 "2016-04-25T03:57:42Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > I’d go back a little further…try to catch them at the Cavern Club. I know a guy from Liverpool who played there with the Beatles back in the day. He said it was a giant party and Paul asked where all the ‘birds’ were. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/18 "2016-04-25T04:38:01Z")
Frank Zappa at the Palladium in NYC 10/31/78. Four hours of raw, unbridled buffoonery for you and yours, during this festive holiday season. or Jefferson Airplane at Winterland, San Francisco, California 9/22/72. Last Jefferson Airplane concert, and one of my favorite line-ups in the band. ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/19 "2016-04-25T05:08:30Z")
The Earl Hines Big Band, the birthplace of bebop back in 1943, with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Sarah Vaughan–but not a single recording exists, due to a musicians’ union ban on recordings at the time. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2016, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033/20 "2016-04-25T13:14:15Z")
I’d like to have seen The Band Last Waltz live. So many great names, so many great performances. Bob Dylan at the Royal Albert Hall in 1966. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-musical-performance-would-you-travel-back-in-time-for/753033.md?page=2)