Worst Concerts You Have Attended ??

Worst? I’m not sure worst, but a huge disappointment. The Grateful Dead with Bob Dylan in the mid 80’s @ the Akron Rubber Bowl. Tom Petty opened. Jerry was terrible, Bob was terrible, and when they sang together, it was twice as bad. No matter how good the rest of the band was, that marred the afternoon/evening for me. A couple days later I learned that Jerry was in the hospital on his death bed in a diabetic comma. I’m sure that accounted for his performance, but Bob’s?

As a somewhat post-Deadhead, that did it for me for a while. I didn’t go see them for a few more years. I saw Bob again in the late 90’s, Natalie Merchant opened. I actually went to see her, and she was fantastic, but Bob and his band blew me away that night. A redeeming concert for Bob after what I witnessed 10+ years earlier.

The good thing about that earlier concert was Tom Petty. Didn’t really care, but he was fantastic, and made a fan out of me for years to come. The silver lining....and Jerry recovered....for a few more years.

I have to say Earth, Wind and Fire in 1978. Some guy grabbed my ticket out of my hand and I never got to attend. Rough crowd at that show. Best concert was Bob Marleys last show ever at the Stanley Theatre in Pittaburgh. 

This could be best....or worst - you tell me.
saw Dexter Gordon at 7th Ave South, got there early, no assigned seating so I sat A1 dead center first row. This venue is kinda tiny, there is no bad seat but I wanted to improve on the situation with up front seat. Slowly place filled up, packed house and the last seats to go are all the seats around me.  dexter starts playing sax emotionally and I got spit on all night long.  Some regulars were joking they were tempted to warn me. I don’t know, if I was a teenager and it was the Beatles I would never wash again.

had tickets to see Jefferson Starship at a local military base.  They canceled due to health of one of the members. All the non military ticket holders like me didn’t get notified and the venue was set up. Opening band didn’t know either so they said may as we’ll play if we are already here. They had run of the house for 3 hours , did mostly covers and the few there casually sang along and called out requests. Being a military base, they don’t just put on a show, they feed you. Great platters of simple American food.  At the end  a guy in uniform apologized and said to stay tuned, the show will be rebooked and our tickets will be valid.
2 months later I came for the rain date show....and the band missed the flight earlier that day. So once again the opening band played, we ate and were promised when the show does finally come about our tickets will still be good.

by the way, before “frampton comes alive” I had no idea who he was. In fact, I don’t know ANY non live or studio work of his.

my friend used to sneak into the fire escape back door of the Fillmore East regularly so he got to see so many more shows than he could afford.

I was so glad to hear goodlistening64 response regarding the 1990s Neil Young's solo performance. I also saw that show and felt ripped off. I remember yelling “PLAY A SONG WE KNOW”. I’ve told people over the years how bad that show was. Feels good to express my displeasure even after all these years.

Sir Elton John in Wilkes Barre, PA "performed" without a band but with recorded fill. It was a kiss the ring sort of show. It seemed he could not have cared less and was, by then, making bank on his Disney tunes. God awful show.