36 Years of shows : here goes some of them
Overall Best for me personally - Emerson, Lake, Powell 1986, Massey Hall, Toronto, Ontario. The night that changed my musical life forever. Band was firing on all 12 Cylinders that night and did 3 encores. Keith Emerson was and still is The Greatest ROCK Keyboard Player (to me anyways). Mental illness is a serious thing. Please always reach out if a friend asks.
Others were (and there were more...just too lazy too list all them here) :
Rush Outdoors - always great sound...indoors and they played incredible but the sound ALWAYS sucked on both sides of the Border. Be it Toronto, Hamilton, or Hershey ! Outdoor Rush shows were always the best of the Band and their P.A. system.
Yes Union Tour 1991. 6th row T.O. Skydome. What should have been a major clash of styles...was. But they made it work for the audience. The "Onion" tour as R.W. called it had style clashes with both B.B & A.W. during their "Drum Duet". Paled in comparison to Bruford/Collins in the 70's IMHO. Steve Howe and Trevor Rabin, another clash of styles. Separately, their acoustic and electric solo's were great, together they was no trading of licks between them. Chris Squire was the glue that night. Oddly, both Rick Wakeman and Tony Kaye were playing together and it showed !
There's more but it would be a really really long post.
Worst concert
April Wine - Ottawa, Ontario 1996 :
They brought in this huge Stadium P.A. system in a small club (can't remember the name - on Richmond Rd.). Great playing but horrible sound.
Nick Mason's A Saucerful of Secrets - Phoenix, AZ - 2019
Again, brilliant show that ruined for my because I stupidly bough a front row seat that was direct in front of a stage level P.A. Cabinet !!
Aerosmith in 2004 Hershey, PA. They truly are and play the "The Poor Man's Rolling Stones". A letdown for since I'd never seen them live and was looking forward to it. That night, Cheap Trick opened for them and outperformed Aerosmith. IMHO.
ELP/Jethro Tull - Toronto 1996 - Both played incredibly well that night and sound at the Kingwood was good. ELP OPENED for Jethro Tull ! We were all expecting Double Bill that night. It my have had to do with K.E's wrist surgery in 1994. He played lie he meant it but "dialed in" the knife stabbings into the Hammond L100. They would redeem themselves in 1998. Read below.
ELP/Deep Purple - Molson Amphitheatre 1997 - ELP were again firing on 12 Cylinders. Dream Theater opened. It was a double bill ELP for 90min. followed by Deep Purple for 90min. and I started to doze off. Honestly, I was only there to see Jon Lord and he did not disappoint.
There's more but this is already a lengthy read.
