Every time I see a retro tshirt from the 77” show I have flashbacks. And I still have the original in a box somewhere. It will stay with me until it doesn’t.
For me it's Jimi Hendrix, I was lucky enough to have seen all the big bands of classic rock, but he was the only one that I never had the chance to see.
Same. Grew up in the SF Bay Area and experienced the magic of Bill Graham, Winterland, Day on the Green, etc and started going to shows in 1974. Missed Jimi by a few years.
Yes. I grew up in the east Bay Area in the 70s. J giles came to play at my high school gym. In 72. The Bay Area was a great place growing up in the 70s with the rock venues.
Jethro Tull is the one I regret missing the most. My brother had tickets but I “had a date” with a really hot girl so I didn’t go. Worst mistake of my life.
I have a friend who had 2nd or 3rd row tickets for Van Halen on their 1984 tour, waited a week in line to get them. He was going with his girlfriend and a couple friends but the week before the show she broke up with him.
Of course he refused to give her the ticket but threw all the tickets out. His friends begged him to get the tickets back but he said the only way to send a message to her is if none of them could go.
He has said since then it wasn't a good idea.
Geddy Lee told the story of when he was kicked out of Rush, when they were still a local Toronto band. Some friends asked him if he wanted to go see Hendrix, but Geddy decided he wanted to see Rush that same night and if they got better without him. He figured he'd seem Jimi next time.
Jimi died a few months later and Rush was just not good.
Myself and a few of my friends were planning on catching them at either MSG or the Philadelphia Spectrum in November of 1977. We lived in central NJ, so we were about equal distance from both venues.
Had tickets for a show in Columbus, Ohio, a week or so after the crash. Traded the tickets in for seats to see Kansas, now I wish I had just kept them.
I was fortunate to see the Allman Brothers for about 6 years at the Beacon including the night when Clapton joined them for the second half. Met Gregg outside the stage door one year. Beautiful guy.
I almost missed Petty. Spent $400 I didn’t have and really needed for BottleRock in 2017. Almost said “eh, I’ll catch him next time — Foo Fighters too.”
Of course, I would’ve missed TP and Foo with Taylor.
Dire Straits. Had a chance in 1985 to see a double bill of them and Stevie Ray Vaughan in Montreal for the Brothers in Arms tour. Had to work the next day, so I passed. Saw Stevie twice, but missing that show still eats me up 39 years later.
I missed getting to see Duane, but twice with Greg and Dickey Betts, 1975 in New Jersey and 1995 (?) at Redrocks, CO. Greg was there in 95 but didn't sing much. I think they had 3 lead guitarists though including Dickey.
i was at the fillmore when they recorded "live at the fillmore east". my first AB show. luckily i got to see them twice before duane died. then a couple of times before berry died.
I actually was fortunate enough to see Tom Petty a couple of times in the late 1970s.
Unfortunately, I never saw:
Led Zeppelin. (I had tickets for the 1980-81 tour, but then John Bonham died.)
Queen (with Freddie Mercury)
The Ramones
Prince
The J. Geils Band
Warren Zevon
In fairness, as amazing as it would be to SAY we attended a Beatles concert; very few of the people who did see them actually heard them playing. You can pretty much replicate the sound on any Saturday afternoon at your nearest Chuckie Cheese.
I did see them live September 6, 1964 in Pittsburgh PA. You are absolutely correct, you could not hear one note they played because of all the girls screaming and a crappy PA. But I figured I was in the same building as them so it was a win.
Was never much of a rush fan untill I went with friends to a concert in early eighties. They sounded better live, great show, saw them 3 more times in the eighties. Always incredible.
Not in Europe… I doubt they will come over here.
They had one tour planned here a couple of years ago which they cancelled because Steve “wasn’t well” officially.
2 months later they started a Las Vegas residency $$$
Saw them in an arena without AC in the middle of July in 1984? 1985? Awesome show! Drank a gallon of beer and didn’t have to leave my seat for the restroom once!
Funny story. I worked at Sharper Image with a Bob Seger superfan.
One day, Bob himself walks in. My coworker is so excited. He says "i saw you at some place on some date" and Bob goes "yeah, I remember that concert" and they both go over the set list. They talk while the coworker gives him a "tour" of the small store. Bob looked like he was having almost as good a time as my coworker.
Bob and his wife buy some gifts and leave. The guy just stood there, a smile plastered on his face, umable to move for a good five minutes. The guy was like "i hated this job until just noe"
I had always heard that Bob Seger was a good guy. I guy I know that is a Union Light and Sound rigger said one time they were on meal break and Seger showed up to check out the piano. He apologized for interrupting them and then sat down and gave them a 30 minute “unplugged “ concert. Shook all their hands and talked to everyone. Said he was a solid dude.
I was so lucky to meet the beastie boys. Didn't get to see the show. I waited outside till after the show and just walked in the back door while they were hanging out. It was a small venue but it was still the beastie boys
Wanna give me a virtual bitchslap over the internet? I was flying home from St. Louis and had an upgrade to first class, and Chuck Berry was on the flight but he was separated from his manager. She was sitting next to me and Chuck was one row in front of me.
She asked for my business card, and once I gave it to her, she asked me to switch seats with Chuck, and if I did she would get me to backstage tix to his show that night. I thanked her and said it wasn’t necessary. She told me it was done, and he was opening for Petty. All I had to do was show up and show my id and the matching business card and I was in. MY EXWIFE WOULDN’T GO! The drama was way too great to go solo. Bitch is now dead and I didn’t get to see either legend.
Username checks out.
I saw the Dead many times, at Winterland, Day on the Green yet never could get the vibe no matter what flavor of psychedelic drugs I was using, and trust me, I tried.
My brother was big intonrecording bootleg tapes. One day he tells me we're going to see Pink Floyd. They were one of my favorite bands then (still are, but then too)
He tells me I have to be quiet the whole sjow so hee gets a good recording. I stay mum for about half the show. At one point I go "thank you, (brother) this was such a great gift." He gives me the anfriest stare and I am feeling so bad.
Later on they were doing a extended riff and snuck the theme song from Doctor Who in randomly.
I still have that tape somewhere...
I would have said Pink Floyd but I’ve seen David Gilmour twice and Roger Waters once and that kinda covers it for me. The one I’d love to have seen is queen with Freddie
Jeff Lynne’s ELO is ELO. Nice if Richard Tandy and Bev Bevan were there, but really, Jeff Lynne is ELO. Saw them last time out, and it was spectacular.
My first wife just refused to go to shows because she was having an affair and disconnected from me. I missed 10 prime years of concerts - eventually I said fuck it and started to go on my own and stopped caring.
For some reason in the 2000s, I decided not to see David Bowie when he came to town. He never visited again. I thought when he released his last album, he would tour to support it, but then he passed.
I also missed Paige and Plant in the 90s because I was struggling financially.
All time #1 is Bowie on his last tour… had a chance to go but it would of been solo in a foreign city and at the time I thought I would just go another time with friends in a familiar atmosphere… that other time never came and it haunts me to this day because I actually could of went before he passed… R.I.P. Ziggy
I have to agree with Tom Petty. I was also given the option of going to a blow out weekend party in Michigan, or going to SRV with my boss’s son. I made the wrong choice that weekend. What a dumbass decision that was.
Stevie Ray Vaughn. I still have my tickets for his show that was to happen at the South Plains Fair in 1990. My family has instructions that when I die, one of those tickets will go with my mortal remains.
Just in case.
During the 70’s my friends and I went to concerts 2 or 3 times a month. Hey, tickets were $7.00 to $10.00 back then. We had been on a tear and had seen several concerts in a row. Jimi Hendrix was scheduled for the next Saturday night. We all said let’s skip this weekend. We’ll see him the next time he tours. Well, he died shortly after that. I never saw him live. Still kicking my own butt for skipping his show…
Stevie Ray Vaughan hurts the most because I’m a guitar player. The bad part is, I live in Houston so I had dozens of chances and I used to say “oh well, I’ll see him next time...”. Frustrating.....
Never got to see original Van Halen lineup but did get to see Roth with Steve Vai.Evh was my biggest influence in playing guitar.
The other was Ozzy Osbourne
I have an unusual story about going to an Elton John concert:
A coworker asked me to take her daughter to an Elton John concert at Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta the next evening. I thought the request was odd. The coworker told me there was a catch - I would be using the ticket of her daughter’s fiancé. She went on to explain that her daughter’s fiancé had just been killed the week before by a train and I would be using the dead fiancé’s ticket. I agreed. I picked up the daughter (gorgeous, by the way), she never said a word the entire time, she put her head in my lap as we watched the concert, I put my hands on her head and shoulder, watched the concert and took her home - never spoke a word - I know she was still in shock. Her mother thanked me the next day and said her daughter really appreciated it - she felt as though her fiancé was there with her that night. True story.
SRV. There used to be a small club near me that all of the old blues masters would play at. I missed it all because I was poor, had kids and worked too much.
I had an opportunity to see Denny Laine. He was in Nashville. I don’t know what stopped me from going. But now that he’s gone it upsets me more that I had a chance to see him. That’s why I made it a point to go and meet May Pang. I learned my lesson.
Tom Petty, KISS, Led Zeppelin…
My dad was a world renowned programmer/systems analyst in the banking industry for 40yrs from the 60’s. VERY strait laced. he came home from a business trip one time in about 1972, and asked me if I had ever heard of “a rock band called,… The Led Zeppelin?” I was 13 & of COURSE knew who they were. He went on to tell me how he had just spent the previous two weeks with them, as they had a two week hiatus and stayed at the same hotel he did, in the rooms next to his. He would say things like “that Bobby (Plant) was a really nice fellow!”
I thought, for sure, my parents would let me go to the Zeppelin concerts when they came to town since my father had spent time with them all personally, but it never happened.
SRV. Had the chance in college, like a few blocks from my dorm. It was a Tues 1982 I think. Nobody really knew who he was and none of my friends would go over with me. Biggest musical regret ever. :/
I would have loved to have seen John Prine and Eric Clapton too.
Fall of 1984, walked by the El Mocambo. Sign said George Thorogood, one night only. I thought he'll be there again some other time, and kept on walking.
Pink Floyd
Led Zeppelin
David Bowie
INXS- I STILL regret turning down tickets to their Kick tour!! What was I thinking!!!!
Queen
The Rolling Stones
The Beatles- sadly, born too late to ever see them.
Elton John
The Doors
Tom Petty is mine.
I've been lucky enough to see a lot of great shows; David Bowie, Def Leppard, Rolling Stones, The Who, Van Halen, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Journey, and others. But Tom Petty is the one I never managed to catch in concert.
I will say that Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs do a great show and play a lot of Heartbreakers stuff along with his solo work.
Man this is a long list. I saw the Stones last night in Chicago for the first time. Limited to artists who were alive and touring when I "came of age" as a Gen X'er I would put Clapton high on the list. Fleetwood Mac. Kiss, oddly enough - I'm not a huge Kiss fan but I bet it was an incredible stage show.
rush. they’re my favorite and always will be. my heart broke when i found out neil peart had passed and shortly after it really set in that i’ll never get to see those 3 amazing musicians together on stage live and that shit still gets to me.
Reminder to keep this thread about rock music from the 50s to the 80s.
Zeppelin
Saw Zepplin 75” and 77” at the Forum in LA. Will never forget it. Unless I get Alzheimer’s.
Yeah, I’m a little jealous now
Even Alzheimer’s could not destroy that memory. I saw them in 77 in Seattle. Will never forget
Every time I see a retro tshirt from the 77” show I have flashbacks. And I still have the original in a box somewhere. It will stay with me until it doesn’t.
Bowie
I was fortunate enough to get to see Bowie live several times between the early 1980s and early 2000s.
Me too. Just once at the International Ballroom in Atlanta, early 2000's. Sigh...
Does Tin Machine count? Cleveland Agora.
For me it's Jimi Hendrix, I was lucky enough to have seen all the big bands of classic rock, but he was the only one that I never had the chance to see.
Same but I was only 11 when he died.
Same. Grew up in the SF Bay Area and experienced the magic of Bill Graham, Winterland, Day on the Green, etc and started going to shows in 1974. Missed Jimi by a few years.
Yes. I grew up in the east Bay Area in the 70s. J giles came to play at my high school gym. In 72. The Bay Area was a great place growing up in the 70s with the rock venues.
Same here. I was 14 or 15 when he died and was about a year from my concert going adventures.
Jethro Tull is the one I regret missing the most. My brother had tickets but I “had a date” with a really hot girl so I didn’t go. Worst mistake of my life.
Saw Tull in Cincinnati in 1987, on a whim… one of my top five shows of all time.
Saw Tull 3 times in the mid 70”s at the Pit in Albuquerque. LSD was the shit in those days.
Saw them twice in New Orleans. Absolutely excellent both times.
Saw Tull in 1978, 1989, 1992. All great shows
Queen with Freddie Van Halen Had tickets for the 5150 tour but couldn't go due to injury, figured I'd catch them next time but it never worked out.
I have a friend who had 2nd or 3rd row tickets for Van Halen on their 1984 tour, waited a week in line to get them. He was going with his girlfriend and a couple friends but the week before the show she broke up with him. Of course he refused to give her the ticket but threw all the tickets out. His friends begged him to get the tickets back but he said the only way to send a message to her is if none of them could go. He has said since then it wasn't a good idea.
Uh, yeah that terrible logic
By the time I was old enough to go see bands, Van Halen wasn’t coming up through Canada much anymore.
I skipped Motorhead at the last second - Lemmy died a few months later I tell my kids never skip a good concert - you just never know...
Geddy Lee told the story of when he was kicked out of Rush, when they were still a local Toronto band. Some friends asked him if he wanted to go see Hendrix, but Geddy decided he wanted to see Rush that same night and if they got better without him. He figured he'd seem Jimi next time. Jimi died a few months later and Rush was just not good.
Pre plane crash Skynyrd. Just gut wrenching
7/7/77 in Madison Wisconsin. We should go.... yeah.
Saw Skynyrd in 1976 at the Beacon theatre in NY along with the Outlaws. Leslie West showed up for a bit too!
Waited a long time to see my answer✌️
I saw them open for The Who in 12/73 before anyone had heard of them.
Myself and a few of my friends were planning on catching them at either MSG or the Philadelphia Spectrum in November of 1977. We lived in central NJ, so we were about equal distance from both venues.
Had tickets for a show in Columbus, Ohio, a week or so after the crash. Traded the tickets in for seats to see Kansas, now I wish I had just kept them.
Allman Brothers….
I was fortunate to see the Allman Brothers for about 6 years at the Beacon including the night when Clapton joined them for the second half. Met Gregg outside the stage door one year. Beautiful guy.
I had the joy of seeing Gregg in the small college town of Indiana Pennsylvania then at a small venue in Pittsburgh… he was wonderful!
SRV and Tom Petty
I almost missed Petty. Spent $400 I didn’t have and really needed for BottleRock in 2017. Almost said “eh, I’ll catch him next time — Foo Fighters too.” Of course, I would’ve missed TP and Foo with Taylor.
Dire Straits. Had a chance in 1985 to see a double bill of them and Stevie Ray Vaughan in Montreal for the Brothers in Arms tour. Had to work the next day, so I passed. Saw Stevie twice, but missing that show still eats me up 39 years later.
I hear ya. Skipping the SRV show at Alpine Valley makes me want to beat my head against the wall to this day.
The Ramones
Saw them in 78 while Dee Dee was still in the band. Wildest show I’ve seen.
This is a big one for me. Was just too young
My friend’s mom saw them play CBGB’s in their early days. Super jealous.
INXS
Saw them in 86 in St Louis, great show. Sorry, don’t mean to be a dick, just a really good memory
I saw them in Sydney in 1989? It was freaking amazing ! Sorry you missed it mate. I was only 8
The Allman Brothers Band
I missed getting to see Duane, but twice with Greg and Dickey Betts, 1975 in New Jersey and 1995 (?) at Redrocks, CO. Greg was there in 95 but didn't sing much. I think they had 3 lead guitarists though including Dickey.
i was at the fillmore when they recorded "live at the fillmore east". my first AB show. luckily i got to see them twice before duane died. then a couple of times before berry died.
The Tubes
Saw The Tubes in 76’ at the Shrine Auditorium. The opening band was, The Runaways. Epic.
Back in the day we were all WPOD! I saw the Tubes on NYE in San Jose, Ca in about 1977 or so. They put on a wild show!
David Bowie Peter Gabriel and the Tubes summer of 83 amazing show.
I actually was fortunate enough to see Tom Petty a couple of times in the late 1970s. Unfortunately, I never saw: Led Zeppelin. (I had tickets for the 1980-81 tour, but then John Bonham died.) Queen (with Freddie Mercury) The Ramones Prince The J. Geils Band Warren Zevon
Saw J. Geils Band on my 18th birthday at the Oakland Auditorium. What an amazing show.
Would love to have seen the "love stinks" 1980 tour.
Saw them w The Baby’s!
The Beatles
In fairness, as amazing as it would be to SAY we attended a Beatles concert; very few of the people who did see them actually heard them playing. You can pretty much replicate the sound on any Saturday afternoon at your nearest Chuckie Cheese.
I did see them live September 6, 1964 in Pittsburgh PA. You are absolutely correct, you could not hear one note they played because of all the girls screaming and a crappy PA. But I figured I was in the same building as them so it was a win.
I would love to have seen/heard them on the rooftop (although I would have been 4 at the time.) That must have been mind blowing.
Queen & Zappa, despite the opportunity
I saw Zappa/Mothers in 1974 at the Celebrity Theater in Phoenix. Revolving stage in the center. It was amazing.
AC/DC. I know they’re on tour right now but they’re sooo tired and Brian is struggling.
I saw them their last 2 tours, both were great
Rush
Was never much of a rush fan untill I went with friends to a concert in early eighties. They sounded better live, great show, saw them 3 more times in the eighties. Always incredible.
Aerosmith. Was stuck at work, didnt want to ask my boss if I could leave on time. He ended up going.
They’re doing a farewell tour, Peace Out. You still have time!
Not in Europe… I doubt they will come over here. They had one tour planned here a couple of years ago which they cancelled because Steve “wasn’t well” officially. 2 months later they started a Las Vegas residency $$$
Saw them in an arena without AC in the middle of July in 1984? 1985? Awesome show! Drank a gallon of beer and didn’t have to leave my seat for the restroom once!
Bob Seger..
Funny story. I worked at Sharper Image with a Bob Seger superfan. One day, Bob himself walks in. My coworker is so excited. He says "i saw you at some place on some date" and Bob goes "yeah, I remember that concert" and they both go over the set list. They talk while the coworker gives him a "tour" of the small store. Bob looked like he was having almost as good a time as my coworker. Bob and his wife buy some gifts and leave. The guy just stood there, a smile plastered on his face, umable to move for a good five minutes. The guy was like "i hated this job until just noe"
I had always heard that Bob Seger was a good guy. I guy I know that is a Union Light and Sound rigger said one time they were on meal break and Seger showed up to check out the piano. He apologized for interrupting them and then sat down and gave them a 30 minute “unplugged “ concert. Shook all their hands and talked to everyone. Said he was a solid dude.
Fleetwood Mac
Beastie Boys
I was so lucky to meet the beastie boys. Didn't get to see the show. I waited outside till after the show and just walked in the back door while they were hanging out. It was a small venue but it was still the beastie boys
Boston in their day. Had a conflicting engagement when they toured in my town.
Queen, Night Ranger, Head East, Kiss, Rolling Stones and ELO
ELO touring this fall!
I saw ELO in the spring of 2018 still very much worth going. Jeff Lynn is truly a rock star. Dhani Harrison opened for them!
Dhani came out and sang the Wilbury’s “Handle With Care” with ELO and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. Sounded just like his old man.
Same with the Stones.
Allman Brothers.
Zapppa
Bowie & Talking Heads
DEVO… They never came to the Raleigh area
T-Rex, Alice Cooper (group), Edgar Winter Group, Three Dog Night, The Sweet, Spirit
Charlie is my favorite Stone, so there’s that. Sadly I didn’t become a legit fan of the Stones til a couple years before his death.
I’m going to say AC/DC. I had a friend that went to an AC/DC concert an brought back some “Money “ talks money.
Tom petty.
kinks broke up when I was 11 so I wasn’t going to too many concerts. Warren Zevon I was like 14 for his last tour. I really wish I had gone.
Feel ya on Zevon
Tom Petty. I had tickets to see the Moody Blues the next night in a city far away and didn't want to spend more money. Now he's gone 😢
Hüsker Dü and Big Black
#TOM PETTY!!!!!
Wanna give me a virtual bitchslap over the internet? I was flying home from St. Louis and had an upgrade to first class, and Chuck Berry was on the flight but he was separated from his manager. She was sitting next to me and Chuck was one row in front of me. She asked for my business card, and once I gave it to her, she asked me to switch seats with Chuck, and if I did she would get me to backstage tix to his show that night. I thanked her and said it wasn’t necessary. She told me it was done, and he was opening for Petty. All I had to do was show up and show my id and the matching business card and I was in. MY EXWIFE WOULDN’T GO! The drama was way too great to go solo. Bitch is now dead and I didn’t get to see either legend.
The Greatfull Dead
Username checks out. I saw the Dead many times, at Winterland, Day on the Green yet never could get the vibe no matter what flavor of psychedelic drugs I was using, and trust me, I tried.
Only got to see them once, in Pittsburgh 1995, a month before Jerry died. A treasured memory.
Pink Floyd
My brother was big intonrecording bootleg tapes. One day he tells me we're going to see Pink Floyd. They were one of my favorite bands then (still are, but then too) He tells me I have to be quiet the whole sjow so hee gets a good recording. I stay mum for about half the show. At one point I go "thank you, (brother) this was such a great gift." He gives me the anfriest stare and I am feeling so bad. Later on they were doing a extended riff and snuck the theme song from Doctor Who in randomly. I still have that tape somewhere...
I would have said Pink Floyd but I’ve seen David Gilmour twice and Roger Waters once and that kinda covers it for me. The one I’d love to have seen is queen with Freddie
Warren Zevon. Miss him
Bob Seger
Ramones
Grateful Dead 🌹⚡️
Supertramp
Seger
FZ
Led Zeppelin, David Bowie
I’m 19. It must be nice just being alive during the time of these bands😂
Slade
REM
Jeff Lynne’s ELO is ELO. Nice if Richard Tandy and Bev Bevan were there, but really, Jeff Lynne is ELO. Saw them last time out, and it was spectacular.
Van Halen (w/Roth)!! (after the release of '1984') I was 16 yrs old, saved every penny from birthday, and Christmas money
Journey with Steve Perry
Genesis
Big Country!
The Eagles!!!!
Kix
I love Kix. I used a fake ID for the first time to see them at Hammerjack's.
Zep.
Queen
My first wife just refused to go to shows because she was having an affair and disconnected from me. I missed 10 prime years of concerts - eventually I said fuck it and started to go on my own and stopped caring.
Metallica in their prime
Queen and Prince
For some reason in the 2000s, I decided not to see David Bowie when he came to town. He never visited again. I thought when he released his last album, he would tour to support it, but then he passed. I also missed Paige and Plant in the 90s because I was struggling financially.
Tom Petty for sure comes to mind.
I thought of Tom Petty as soon as I read the title. Probably 20 other bands.
Rainbow with R.J. Dio
Supertramp. Never got the chance.
Stevie Ray and Tom Petty
The Doors
All time #1 is Bowie on his last tour… had a chance to go but it would of been solo in a foreign city and at the time I thought I would just go another time with friends in a familiar atmosphere… that other time never came and it haunts me to this day because I actually could of went before he passed… R.I.P. Ziggy
Peak ELP
Led Zeppelin, SRV, Tom Petty, and Pink Floyd
Peter Gabriel. I backed out of seeing him on his So tour because of social anxiety. Wish I'd made myself go.
Yep, Petty
Eagles with Glenn Frey
I have to agree with Tom Petty. I was also given the option of going to a blow out weekend party in Michigan, or going to SRV with my boss’s son. I made the wrong choice that weekend. What a dumbass decision that was.
The BeeGees
Stevie Ray Vaughn. I still have my tickets for his show that was to happen at the South Plains Fair in 1990. My family has instructions that when I die, one of those tickets will go with my mortal remains. Just in case.
Van Halen and Tom Petty
Tom Petty Stevie Ray Vaughan
During the 70’s my friends and I went to concerts 2 or 3 times a month. Hey, tickets were $7.00 to $10.00 back then. We had been on a tear and had seen several concerts in a row. Jimi Hendrix was scheduled for the next Saturday night. We all said let’s skip this weekend. We’ll see him the next time he tours. Well, he died shortly after that. I never saw him live. Still kicking my own butt for skipping his show…
Stevie Ray Vaughan hurts the most because I’m a guitar player. The bad part is, I live in Houston so I had dozens of chances and I used to say “oh well, I’ll see him next time...”. Frustrating.....
Never got to see original Van Halen lineup but did get to see Roth with Steve Vai.Evh was my biggest influence in playing guitar. The other was Ozzy Osbourne
In 1973 my sister offered me a ticket to see Elton John. I turned it down because I didn't know who he was.
I have an unusual story about going to an Elton John concert: A coworker asked me to take her daughter to an Elton John concert at Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta the next evening. I thought the request was odd. The coworker told me there was a catch - I would be using the ticket of her daughter’s fiancé. She went on to explain that her daughter’s fiancé had just been killed the week before by a train and I would be using the dead fiancé’s ticket. I agreed. I picked up the daughter (gorgeous, by the way), she never said a word the entire time, she put her head in my lap as we watched the concert, I put my hands on her head and shoulder, watched the concert and took her home - never spoke a word - I know she was still in shock. Her mother thanked me the next day and said her daughter really appreciated it - she felt as though her fiancé was there with her that night. True story.
The Eagles ( when Glen Frey was alive), Bread, America
The ones that come to mind first are Queen, Motörhead Led Zeppelin.
Rush. Stevie ray. Saw just about everybody else
Those i had a chance to see but didn't for whatever reason: Johnny Cash Ray Charles The Scorpions in 79
SRV. There used to be a small club near me that all of the old blues masters would play at. I missed it all because I was poor, had kids and worked too much.
All the grunge guys, Tom Petty, Elton John.
Dire Straits Rush The Police
I had an opportunity to see Denny Laine. He was in Nashville. I don’t know what stopped me from going. But now that he’s gone it upsets me more that I had a chance to see him. That’s why I made it a point to go and meet May Pang. I learned my lesson.
David Bowie. It just never lined up over the years
Tom Petty, David Bowie In 1979 I was looking forward to seeing Led Zeppelin and John Lennon if he was going to tour. We all know what happened......
Floyd Clapton
Ten Years After
Led Zeppelin Fleetwood Mac
Rush. I had tickets but because of circumstances didn't get to see them. Totally regret it!
Tom Petty, KISS, Led Zeppelin… My dad was a world renowned programmer/systems analyst in the banking industry for 40yrs from the 60’s. VERY strait laced. he came home from a business trip one time in about 1972, and asked me if I had ever heard of “a rock band called,… The Led Zeppelin?” I was 13 & of COURSE knew who they were. He went on to tell me how he had just spent the previous two weeks with them, as they had a two week hiatus and stayed at the same hotel he did, in the rooms next to his. He would say things like “that Bobby (Plant) was a really nice fellow!” I thought, for sure, my parents would let me go to the Zeppelin concerts when they came to town since my father had spent time with them all personally, but it never happened.
Queen and Bowie
Doors
R.E.M.
Petty for sure and I also wish I could have seen George Harrison in any form, by himself or with the Wilburys or whatever.
Queen, Zeppelin, Van Halen
SRV, a month before he passed. The venue was a horse track so I figured I'd catch him later.
Rock adjacent because he absolutely shredded on the guitar - Prince
SRV. Had the chance in college, like a few blocks from my dorm. It was a Tues 1982 I think. Nobody really knew who he was and none of my friends would go over with me. Biggest musical regret ever. :/ I would have loved to have seen John Prine and Eric Clapton too.
Saw him open for Huey Lewis & the News in ‘84. SRV & DT was the reason I went, and Huey was actually pretty great, too.
Fall of 1984, walked by the El Mocambo. Sign said George Thorogood, one night only. I thought he'll be there again some other time, and kept on walking.
Tom Petty.
The only regret of my life is I never saw Freddy Mercury live.
Jeff Beck
Motörhead
Prince and the Revolution
Tom Petty
Motörhead. They played rock n roll
Pink Floyd, Tom Petty, David Bowie, and Frank Zappa.
Pink Floyd Led Zeppelin David Bowie INXS- I STILL regret turning down tickets to their Kick tour!! What was I thinking!!!! Queen The Rolling Stones The Beatles- sadly, born too late to ever see them. Elton John The Doors
Tom Petty is mine. I've been lucky enough to see a lot of great shows; David Bowie, Def Leppard, Rolling Stones, The Who, Van Halen, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Journey, and others. But Tom Petty is the one I never managed to catch in concert. I will say that Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs do a great show and play a lot of Heartbreakers stuff along with his solo work.
I was lucky enough to see Tom a month before he passed at the Greek in Berkeley. Amazing concert. Of course Led Zeppelin was biggest regret.
Bowie, tithe Clash, Roxy Music with Eno
Television...
Prince
Man this is a long list. I saw the Stones last night in Chicago for the first time. Limited to artists who were alive and touring when I "came of age" as a Gen X'er I would put Clapton high on the list. Fleetwood Mac. Kiss, oddly enough - I'm not a huge Kiss fan but I bet it was an incredible stage show.
Zeppelin The Doors Tom Petty SKYNYRD (original) Boston (with Brad) CCR
I had tickets to see Zep in 1980 at the Montreal Forum. Yeah...
Pantera & Van Halen
Zeppelin, The Who
rush. they’re my favorite and always will be. my heart broke when i found out neil peart had passed and shortly after it really set in that i’ll never get to see those 3 amazing musicians together on stage live and that shit still gets to me.
Leonard Cohen, Bowie, and Prince, along with those you mentioned.
Both mid eighties. Genesis- Invisible touch tour at Wembley. Queen- Magic live at Wembley.