My first ever concert was Rush at Radio City Music Hall. I write about music and for the last 5 years have gone to up to 50 concerts a year. I am the tape archivist for Cowboy Junkies, so I get to go to a lot of their shows. Here are some other shows:
-Van Halen, w/ David Lee Roth, in 1984.
-Iron Maiden, with Queensryche opening, 1985.
-Triumph, 1985.
-Squeeze-1987
-Many many Grateful Dead concerts, 1989-1994. I did the touring thing with them in 90 and 91.
-Many other jam band concerts, including Phish, Blues Traveler, Widespread Panic, Leftover Salmon, and String Cheese Incident. I caught most of those bands before anyone knew who they were, and caught all of them in venues that hold less than 1000 people.
-Telluride Bluegrass Festival-last 5 years
-RockyGrass Festival.
-Many Irish and Celtic bands, including Lunasa, Natalie MacMaster, Ashley MacIsaac, Cherish the Ladies, and the Chieftains (RIP Derek Bell
-Tori Amos. Every tour since 1986.
-Ani DiFranco-every tour since 1995
-Natalie Merchant-dating back to the 10,000 Maniacs days
-Ben Harper (I have a huge crush on him right now)
-Alanis Morrissette
Here are some of the most memorable
-Rush at Radio City in 1983. First concert, and an excellent one in a beautiful venue
-Van Halen, Madison Square Garden, 1984. Such a production, and Diamond Dave's last tour.
-Squeeze, 1987. First concert on my college campus, and one of the quintessential college bands
-Grateful Dead, Giants Stadium, 1989. My eyes are opened. Many of my favorite concert memories center on the Dead, including the three Nassau Colisseum shows in 1990, one of which featured a first-time performance of The Weight, and another which featured Branford Marsalis sitting in.
-HORDE tour, 1992, Jones Beach. The "baby-jam bands concert", just as they were starting to gain popularity. Aquarium Rescue Unit, Widespread Panic, Spin Doctors, Blues Traveler and Phish, all on the same bill. Absolutely amazing.
-1998 Telluride Bluegrass Festival. An Old and int he Way reunion, excellent sets by Emmylou Harris and Nanci Griffith,a John Hartford performance from when he was healthier, String Cheese Incident and Leftover Salmon, and many more. It was the festival's 25th anniversary, and what a party. Haven't missed one since
-Ani DiFranco, Red Rocks, 1997. Ani's first Red Rocks concert was outstanding, and very memorable for the amount of people who showed up.
-Lillith Fair, Fiddler's Green, 1998. Cowboy Junkies, Natalie Merchant, Joan Osborne, Paula Cole and Sarah McLachlan. Excellent concert.
-Widespread Panic, Red Rocks, 2002. Michael Houser's last performances. Though he was clearly weak from his battle with cancer, he played very well and smiled a lot. Two months later he was dead.
-Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt, Telluride, 2002. What a pairing.
I could go on, but will stop for now.